LONG PRAIRIE, Minn. - Two former athletes from Browerville were scheduled to appear in court Monday on charges they sexually assaulted former teammates.
Seth Joseph Kellen, age 18, is accused of carrying out a number of criminal acts including sexual penetration, groping, lewd conduct and exposure. Todd County Prosecutors have charged him with 20 separate criminal counts.
Connor Steven Burns, also 18, is charged with six separate criminal counts involving helping Kellen sexually assault a teammate and taking part in the assault himself.
Burns appeared before a judge Monday morning. Defense attorney Ryan Gary says he will challenge the state on probable cause issues.
"We believe there is no probable cause and no basis for these charges," said Gary, who tells KARE 11 his client will eventually plead not guilty.
Burns next appearance is set for November 2.
Kellen deferred his plea until his November court date.
Investigators say the criminal behavior of the two teens came to light in early August of 2011 when an alleged sexual assault took place at Horseshoe Lake in Todd County following a football captains practice. A parent called authorities and told them a number of football players began dunking a teammate while he was swimming and then sexually assaulted him.
Detectives began interviewing Browerville athletes and say they uncovered a pattern of criminal sexual behavior by Kellen that took place in the school locker room, the locker room showers, in the gym and inside a hotel room at the State High School Basketball Tournament in late March of 2012.
While at the tournament, a Browerville basketball player says he was held down while Kellen, Burns and an unnamed juvenile penetrated his rectum with their fingers. Two team managers say Kellen pulled down his pants and exposed himself in an elevator, and then began jumping on the backs of other teammates and began rubbing his genitals on them.
Other athletes told investigators about being penetrated, groped or flashed by Kellen in the locker room, showers or gym at Browerville High School.
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