D.A. seeking more info in Goddard sex case against four teens; no charges filed

Six months after authorities arrested four Goddard high school students amid allegations of sexual misconduct against a fellow teen, the case remains under investigation.

Spokesmen for the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and the county district attorney on Friday confirmed that charges have not been filed against any of the teens suspected in the alleged sexual assault of a girl in rural Sedgwick County on July 21. Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Capt. Greg Pollock said the case is back in the hands of the Exploited and Missing Child Unit after District Attorney Marc Bennett’s office sent it back to law enforcement, asking for additional information.

Dan Dillon, spokesman for the district attorney, said the agency initially presented its case Sept. 15, four days after the teens’ arrest.

“They are still looking into the items that the D.A. asked them to review,” Pollock said, referring to the Exploited and Missing Child Unit investigators assigned to the case.

“Until they get that done, they won’t re-present it to the D.A.’s office.”

Pollock said he had no timeline for the work’s completion. The investigation is ongoing, he said.

The teens were arrested and booked Sept. 11 on suspicion of sexual exploitation of a child, aggravated indecent liberties with a child and criminal restraint. They were released on bond a short time later.

In September, when The Eagle first reported the teens’ arrests, Lt. David Mattingly would not disclose the age of the alleged victim nor the ages of the suspects.

Pollock on Friday followed suit, saying only that those allegedly involved are juveniles.

They are not, however, all in the same grade in high school, the sheriff’s office has said.

This story was originally published March 8, 2015 at 9:08 PM with the headline "D.A. seeking more info in Goddard sex case against four teens; no charges filed."