County attorney confirms charges submitted for consideration in Lisbon wrestling case

Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden confirmed Tuesday that the Lisbon Police Department has submitted criminal charges for consideration in a case involving allegations of severe bullying on the Lisbon High School wrestling team.

Vander Sanden says he has asked the department for some more information before officially filing any charges.

The father of the alleged victim in this case says his son has been the target of severe bullying, telling KCRG-TV9 that several seniors on the Lisbon wrestling team held his child down in the locker room, urinated on him and put their genitalia in his face.

The father has chosen to remain anonymous while he seeks legal counsel and works with Lisbon police.

The controversy started in late December after the team abruptly canceled two practices and a meet in Delhi.

Superintendent Brad Laures released a statement saying the cancellation involved an investigation into a “student behavior issue,” adding  that “Lisbon Community Schools takes any accusation of bullying or harassment seriously and will continue to follow our board policy to its fullest extent to make sure our school environment is safe for all students.”

Laures said he could not elaborate with any further details except to say the school had finished its investigation.

The father says his son was first attacked by the senior wrestlers about a month ago. He said his son decided to come forward about the harassment after being threatened by the same boys again last week.

The father said Laures, along with counselors and the school's principal, assured him “heads would roll” over the alleged bullying. But instead, the father says the school is trying to keep quiet what he calls a sexual assault on his son.

“I feel like it was all a cover-up,” he said. “I feel like they're trying to hide it, sweep it under the rug, when my son was assaulted in what I feel is a sexual way.”

The father said his son has watched other boys on the wrestling team being bullied as well. While he was not at the meeting Tuesday night, he said he heard some of the boys might be suspended from the school and kicked off the wrestling team.

Laures said he could not comment directly on any punishments or disciplinary action.

The father said the police department has been working well with his family, but says he's mostly disappointed with how the school is handling the situation. He said he's even more upset with the teammates, who he said betrayed his son.

“They were supposed to encourage him and act like brothers,” he said, “I feel like it's a giant cover up. It's terrible, and I don't know what to think.”