3 Ringleaders In PA High School Football Hazing Convicted: Report

DAUPHIN COUNTY, PA — Three teens accused by police of being the ringleaders in several hazing incidents that shut down Middletown High School's football program last year have been convicted in juvenile court, according to a report citing the Dauphin County District Attorney's Office.

Prosecutor Jennifer Gettle told PennLive.com that two teens "accepted responsibility" and pleaded guilty to three counts each of unlawful restraint, indecent assault and hazing. Gettle's office dropped additional charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, according to PennLive.com.

The third teen requested a hearing and was later found delinquent on all charges, the report said. Delinquent is the equivalent of a guilty verdict in juvenile court. Included in the ruling was a charge of being an accomplice to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, according to PennLive.com.

• RELATED: 10 Charged In Middletown High School Football Hazings

The convictions stemmed from an investigation that began in August 2022 when Lower Swatara Township police received a report from Middletown High School that a video posted on social media showed a football player being assaulted during a practice.

Investigators interviewed more than 80 students regarding the assaults and determined that on Aug. 11, three students were sexually assaulted in the school's turf room during a 20-minute period when no adults were present.

According to a report by the Associated Press, Superintendent Chelton Hunter said video from the turf room assaults showed "a group of students restraining two of their teammates and using a muscle therapy gun and another piece of athletic equipment" to poke their buttock areas.

The players were fully clothed, Hunter said, and no penetration reportedly occurred; however, Hunted called the acts "completely unacceptable, offensive, and highly inappropriate," The AP reported.

Investigators said that three other students were also assaulted over the last year on various occasions.

On Aug. 24, 2022, district officials canceled the remainder of the football team's season.

Following the investigation, prosecutors charged 10 students in connection with the hazings. Prosecutors did not release the names of those accused because all cases were handled through the juvenile court system.

The three teens will be sentenced at a later date, reports said.