Prosecutors Seek 15-year Prison Term for Ex-athletic Trainer

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Federal prosecutors are asking a Montana judge to sentence a former athletic trainer accused of sexually abusing Miles City high school children to 15 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
The U.S. attorney's office is seeking the maximum sentence for 79-year-old James Jensen instead of the federal sentencing guidelines' range of up to eight years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus says in court documents the penalty is justified. He compared Jensen to other high-profile pedophile defendants, such as ex-USA Gymnastics' Larry Nassar and former Indian Health Service's pediatrician Stanley Patrick Weber.
Jensen pleaded guilty in March to coercion and enticement. Prosecutors say he told the boys the sexual activity was part of a program to boost their athletic performance.
Jensen's public defender, Steven Babcock, did not immediately return a call for comment Wednesday.