Ex-student athletes say Montana trainer sexually abused them

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Former student athletes at a Montana high school say the school’s former athletic trainer sexually abused them and dozens of others under the guise of boosting their athletic performance.

They claim James E. “Doc” Jensen of Miles City performed nude massages and sexual acts on the boys as part of what he called “The Program” to enhance their strength and testosterone levels.

The lawsuit against Jensen and the school district was filed Friday on behalf of 18 known victims and an estimated 80 unknown victims.

Miles City attorney Daniel Rice tells The Billings Gazette that Jensen engaged in a “structured, sophisticated system of ritual sexual abuse.”

Jensen did not return a phone message seeking comment.

School district officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Information from: The Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com