A former Federal Way High School basketball player is facing voyeurism charges for secretly videotaping two girls performing sex acts in 2016.
On Friday, detectives handed the case to the King County Prosecutor's Office recommending two felony charges. Dan Satterberg's office will have the final decision on charges.
Two former Federal Way High School students claim they were videotaped during intimate acts in 2016 without their permission and that the video was shared with the high school basketball team. Both young women claim the perpetrator was the same star player on the Federal Way Eagles team.
Tally Thomas, 19, filed a tort claim against the district last month seeking $3.5 million. She accused the school's renown varsity boy’s basketball coach, Jerome Collins, of failing to report the crime.
Thomas said when she and her parents learned of the recording, they went to Collins for help. While he negotiated an apology from two boys involved in the incident, Thomas said he encouraged her not to tell authorities because the boys could lose their scholarships and would not be able to play in the state championship tournament.
The district placed Collins on administrative leave after administrators learned of the claim, according to a district spokesperson.
After learning of Thomas' complaint, Federal Way police said they reopened a case involving another victim which they investigated in 2016. At the time, they could not establish probable cause.
Armed with new information, detectives pursued leads on both cases and have now referred them to the prosecutor's office.
"They are grateful that detectives took it seriously and did the work that needed to be done to get the truth out of these ball players," said Attorney Joan Mell of the two alleged victims.
"The women no longer have to twist in the wind anymore or feel shame about what happened to them," said Mell.
