Federal Way police are now investigating two allegations of voyeurism and the illegal distribution of sexual images involving high school students.
"We are looking at two separate incidents," said Commander Kurt Schwann. "However, some of the same people may be involved in both."
KING 5 broke a story earlier this week about one victim, 19-year-old Tally Thomas, who decided to come forward and file a formal complaint against the Federal Way School District.
The allegations involve former high-profile Federal Way High School athletes, some who have gone on to play at the college level.
Police say they were tipped off to both cases in 2016, but the detective was forced to close the cases because of insufficient evidence. The department reopened the investigations armed with new information and a new willingness to cooperate.
Thomas, who is attending Stanford University on a softball scholarship, took a break from college to try and resolve a traumatic incident from her high school years. Thomas said it happened while she was involved in an intimate relationship with a boy on the basketball team, and another player recorded them in a private moment.
"One day I went over to his house thinking no one else was in the house, and someone was in the closet recording the whole time," said Thomas. "I found out a year later because the video got sent to the basketball team group chat."
The teenager and her family claim they turned to boys' basketball Coach Jerome Collins for help. But while Collins arranged for the two boys to apologize in a private meeting with Thomas, they say he failed to comply with state mandatory reporting requirements and talked her out of telling authorities.
When Thomas filed the complaint with the district, the district informed police of the allegation.
While Federal Way police won't talk about their investigation, Commander Schwan said it's not the first time they've heard about the 2016 incident, nor is it the only allegation involving some of the same people.
"Going through that information and the people involved, we were able to come up with a case that originated in 2016," Commander Schwan said. "We were investigating a similar-type incident at the time where Ms. Thomas' case became apparent to us that it might have happened at the same time."
A source with direct knowledge of the investigation said in the second case, another female student also claims to have been videotaped, without consent, during an intimate moment with a basketball player on the same Federal Way High School Eagles varsity team.
The video was also allegedly shared with other players.
Now, two investigations that were stonewalled in 2016, due to lack of cooperating witnesses, are now reopened.
Police shared a warning about illicit videos.
"Whether it be on that app or on that phone or on someone else's phone that you sent it to, someone will still have that [video]," said Commander Schwan. "So, think about that before you make a photograph or a video that shouldn't be made."
Repeated attempts to reach Coach Collins have gone unanswered.
Federal Way Public Schools confirmed Collins had been placed on administrative leave, a standard procedure in a case like this.
