OMAHA — Three teenage boys from Blair have been charged as adults in connection with an alleged sexual assault that was later distributed on video.Â
The incident occurred Feb. 12 at a gathering in Washington County during halftime of the Super Bowl, according to affidavits filed in court. A 13-year-old boy told investigators from the Washington County Sheriff's Office that he was held down by two of his friends while one of them used a broomstick to penetrate his anal cavity, causing severe pain.
Another teen captured the incident on his phone as others at the gathering laughed, according to an affidavit. Seven young people were in the basement of a Blair residence when the incident took place.Â
Gavin Cziria, 14, and Lakodah McKinnis, 14, are charged with first-degree forcible sexual assault. Cole Woods-Flynn, 13, is charged with possession of a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct.Â
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Washington County Attorney Scott Vander Schaaf told the Washington County Pilot-Tribune and Enterprise newspaper that he had seen the video. He described the incident as disturbing.Â
"Not only was this a brutal and shameful act, but it was also recorded and shared amongst others," Vander Schaaf said. "The law allows certain types of crimes, because of their serious nature, to be initially charged in adult court for a later determination to be made by the district court. After reviewing the facts, serious nature of the crime and relevant law, a determination was made to charge these young men as adults."
Woods-Flynn, according to the affidavit, distributed the video of the assault on Snapchat to several people at the gathering, including the victim. His parents turned the cellphone over to law enforcement.
The victim and all three of the defendants were interviewed by investigators. An investigator asked the victim how he felt about the incident.Â
"I don't know," he answered. "I still can't believe it happened."
First-degree sexual assault is punishable by from one to 50 years in prison. Possession of a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct carries a penalty of up to three years in prison.Â