Jury acquits former Chatfield Senior High School athletic director Craig Aukland

After less than three hours of deliberation, a jury in Jefferson County on Tuesday acquitted former Chatfield Senior High School Athletic Director Craig Aukland of a single count of failing to report suspected child abuse, a misdemeanor.

Through his attorney, Charles Nicholas, Aukland released a statement on the not guilty verdict saying "This case serves to highlight the inadequacies of Colorado's mandatory reporter law .. Mr. Aukland hopes his experience will serve to guide more coherent legislation to protect our community, our children, and those entrusted with their welfare."

Aukland was criminally charged in 2021 after information surfaced that some Chatfield High students, on a trip to Arizona for a club baseball tournament, had allegedly sexually assaulted a 13-year-old boy who was also on the trip. The alleged incident happened in a hotel room where the teens were unsupervised. Two boys allegedly pinned the junior high school student while a third teenager attempted to perform a sexual act on the victim.

Prosecutors said Aukland was a mandatory reporter but failed to immediately notify law enforcement about what he knew and mischaracterized what had occurred. The victim's mother testified that Aukland referred to the alleged sexual assault as a "hazing" incident.

Three months after the incident became public, Aukland resigned from his position at Chatfield and the school's principal, Chad Broer, also stepped down.

In his statement, Aukland's attorney went on to say "He extends his thoughts and prayers to everyone involved and his gratitude for the family and friends who stood by him over the past year."

Brionna Boatright, a spokesperson for the First Judicial District Attorney's Office, told CBS4,"We respect the jury's decision and appreciate their service throughout the trial."

Aukland had worked in the Jefferson County school district for 15 years before he resigned.