Police Say 2nd Student Admits To Sex With HS Coach

Wesley Specht Coached Girls' Basketball At Alameda High

Posted: 04/09/2011
Last Updated: 774 days ago

Another female student at Alameda High School has come forward and admitted to having had a sexual relationship with the girls' basketball coach, Lakewood police said Friday.

Wesley Adam Specht, 26, was arrested Wednesday, accused of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl at the school, Lakewood police spokesman Steve Davis said.

As detectives continued to investigate the case on Thursday, they learned of a second victim, Davis said.

The second victim -- a 15-year-old girl -- said she had a sexual relationship with Specht in late 2010 and early 2011, police said. That's about roughly the same time frame as the other relationship, according to the arrest affidavit.

Police said they will be presenting the case to the District Attorney’s Office for formal charging. Specht faces an additional charge of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust.

Specht is currently being held at the Jefferson County Jail on these three charges:

  • Sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust
  • Sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust with a pattern
  • Sexual exploitation of a child

Specht was hired as an assistant coach at Alameda High School in November 2009 and later took over the varsity coaching position.

Specht was a contract employee with the Jefferson County School District and is no longer employed by the district. Basketball coaches are on a contract season to season, and his agreement expired at the end of the season, said school district spokeswoman Lynn Setzer.

Detectives are asking anyone who feels they may have information that would assist in the investigation and/or regarding Specht to contact police at 303-987-7228.

Arrest Affidavit In First Case: Others In School Knew About Relationship

According to the arrest affidavit, a comment by the principal's secretary led to the police getting involved.

A conversation took place between the boys' basketball coach and the athletic director's administrative assistant. The talk was about how the boys' coach could have held a basketball tournament the previous weekend because Specht's fell through.

During that conversation, the principal's secretary remarked, "how she couldn't believe Wesley was still here because he was involved in a relationship with (name redacted)."

The AD's administrative assistant told police that the secretary had seen the student texting with Specht. The assistant also said the secretary told her the student had confided in her that the two were dating and that they were open about it. The affidavit states that the secretary had not previously told an administrator.

The arrest affidavit revealed the student admitted to having sex with Specht at least nine times. She stated they had sex at his Arvada home, in his vehicle at a parking lot in Belmar Park and once at his parents' Highlands Ranch home.

"It makes no difference if it's consensual, it is strictly illegal," said Davis.

Meanwhile, 7NEWS Reporter Amanda Kost learned Friday that Specht lives with his 26-year-old girlfriend.

The affidavit also revealed that Specht had been specifically warned about texting players on a personal level. The previous basketball coach was let go for texting violations.

Two Alameda High Employees Still On Paid Leave

Setzer confirmed with 7NEWS that three employees at Alameda High School were placed on paid administrative leave, "while we conduct our own investigation into what may or may not have happened at the school."

Based on the details of the arrest affidavit, the district is looking into what the employees may have known, and if that knowledge should have been reported.

According to the affidavit, the principal's secretary met with the student in October 2010 and advised her to "let go" of the relationship.

When the student was interviewed by police, she stated her sexual relationship with Specht began after that meeting.

According to Setzer, every year, every Jefferson County School District employee is required to sign a professional responsibility document, which clearly states the rules for reporting child abuse or suspected child abuse.

"We take it very seriously to protect our kids," said Setzer.

7NEWS Reporter Amanda Kost learned that one of the three employees originally placed on leave has been re-instated.

"We have re-instated one of the three employees who were placed on leave yesterday. Our own investigation showed that this employee did not violate the child abuse reporting policy," said Setzer.

Colorado's mandatory reporting law requires certain employees, including school teachers, to report suspected child abuse.

Specht is a guard with the Colorado Kings basketball team in Aurora. The Kings are part of the American Basketball Association.

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