2 Hardin-Central High School students charged with sex crimes

HARDIN, Mo. - Two Hardin-Central High School students were charged after sex crimes were reported to police.  Prosecutors said the crimes occurred inside the school.

Randy Estenbaum, 18, and Jeffrey Ellis, 17, were charged after police investigated claims by the alleged victims, also students at the high school.

The probable cause statement said Estenbaum assaulted two students in the locker room, once during basketball practice. Estenbaum is charged with two counts each of second-degree sexual misconduct, third-degree assault and forcible sodomy.

Court documents for Ellis: http://media2.kshb.com/NWT/pdf/20120208_JeffreyEllisCharges.pdf

Court documents for Estenbaum: http://media2.kshb.com/NWT/pdf/20120208_RandyEstenbaum.pdf

Ellis is charged with forcible sodomy against a student during gym class while other students held the victim down.

The probable cause states both suspects sodomized the same victim, but Estenbaum had another victim. It is not known if the suspects were together during these incidents.

The school district said students have been disciplined, but they wouldn't go into more detail.

“I can assure you that our school takes every allegation seriously we do very thorough investigations,” said Superintendent Martin Griffin.

Parents said they were concerned about the charges.

"It's devastating to hear that something like this could happen to a child in a locker room I can't imagine what went through the heads of those two boys," said parent Susannah Blackstock.

Both teens turned themselves into deputies on Wednesday afternoon.