Former Circus Coach Charged With Assaulting Minor: Police

BROCKTON, MA — A Whitman man who operated a circus school was arrested on Thursday and charged with assaulting a minor, according to a news release from Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz.

Steven Santos, 43, of Whitman, was arraigned in Brockton District Court Thursday and faces charges including indecent assault and battery of a person age 14 or older and indecent assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, said Cruz.

Santos was arrested at a Whitman home Thursday following a several months-long investigation into allegations that he sexually assaulted a former student, said Cruz. Santos operated the Newton circus coaching business Simply Circus, where the charges against him allege he assaulted a 15-year-old former student four times in July and August 2020.

Santos pled not guilty to the charges against him and was held on $7,500 cash bail with the conditions that he stay away from the victim and their family and have no contact with any minors, said the news release. He is next scheduled to appear in court on March 19 for a pretrial conference.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact Whitman Police Sergeant Peter Aitken at 781-447-1212.