Boys Accused In Football Hazing Scandal Now Charged As Adults

ROCKVILLE, MD — Four Damascus High School football players accused of raping teammates in a locker room will be charged as adults after initially being charged as juveniles. The 15-year-old boys were arrested on Wednesday, Nov. 21, and face multiple counts of rape and attempted rape. A fifth student is still being charged as a juvenile, officials said.

Police identified the four football players as Jean Claude Abedi of Clarksburg, Kristian Jamal Lee of Germantown, Will Daniel Smith of Clarksburg, and Caleb Thorpe of Gaithersburg.

Abedi, Lee, and Smith were all charged with two counts of first-degree rape, two counts of attempted first-degree rape, and two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree rape.

The most serious charges are against Thorpe. He was charged with four counts of first-degree rape and four counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree rape.

These charges come three weeks after reports of a hazing ritual involving the junior varsity football team. According to police, the sexual assaults took place on Wednesday, Oct. 31 in the high school's male locker room after school. WJLA reported the hazing involved a wooden broomstick.

The wooden broomstick was brought up at a Monday news conference held by Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Jack Smith, according to WTOP. The Washington Post reported that "brooming" was viewed as a tradition among teammates.

"He was totally shocked and taken aback that anything could happen like this — he's never heard of it," one Damascus High School parent said of his son's reaction to the purported tradition, per WTOP.

WTOP reported that Smith, during the news conference, said Montgomery County schools would provide training for students involved in extracurricular activities.

This story may be updated.

Image via Shutterstock

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