Mont. school trainer faces sex allegations

BILLINGS, Mont. — Montana authorities have launched a criminal investigation into allegations that a school athletic trainer sexually abused at least 18 students decades ago under the guise of boosting their athletic performance.

Attorney General Tim Fox said state investigators will assist Custer County officials as they examine the allegations in a lawsuit filed Friday against James E. “Doc” Jensen of Miles City.

Jensen, now 78, acknowledged some of the allegations and offered an apology after they were first reported by The Billings Gazette.

Jensen could not be reached immediately for comment Sunday by The Associated Press and it wasn’t known if he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

He worked part time as an athletic trainer at Custer County High School from the 1970s until about 1998. His accusers claim he performed nude massages and sexual acts on boys as part of what he called “The Program” to enhance their strength and testosterone levels.

Authorities urged others to help with the investigation by reporting their allegations to the Montana Department of Justice.

“The allegations against James Jensen are deeply troubling, and my office will do everything in its power to ensure justice is served,” Custer County Attorney Wyatt Glade said in a statement.

Some of the abuse allegations might not be subject to prosecution because of the amount of time that’s passed.

Because the investigation is in the early stages, Justice Department spokesman John Barnes said it’s too soon to say how the statute of limitations would apply.

In the late 1990s, a concerned parent reported to the high school that Jensen was performing hernia checks without having any medical qualifications, according to the lawsuit.