The San Jose Jr. Sharks youth hockey program has agreed to pay $4.6 million to settle a lawsuit brought by a boy who says he was sexually abused by one of the team’s coaches in 2021. A judge recently approved the deal, closing out claims that the alleged abuse took place inside Sharks Ice locker rooms and at other locations tied to the program. The coach, Kevin Whitmer, pleaded no contest in August and is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, with prosecutors saying he faces an expected 25-year prison term.
Law Firm: Judge Signs Off On $4.6M Deal
The boy is represented by the law firm Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, which announced that the court signed off on the settlement and that the Jr. Sharks organizations agreed to pay $4.6 million as part of the resolution, according to BusinessWire. The firm noted that judicial approval was required because the settlement involves a minor. “We are encouraged that the Sharks organization has been held accountable and that this settlement delivers meaningful justice for our client,” attorney Mark Boskovich said in the announcement.
Complaint Describes Grooming And Locker Room Abuse
The civil complaint outlines what it describes as a pattern of grooming that began after the boy joined the Jr. Sharks in April 2021 at age 11. As reported by San Jose Inside, the lawsuit alleges Whitmer told the child to sit on his lap, wrapped his hands around the player’s waist and midsection, and gave chest and abdominal massages that then escalated to sexual acts while they were alone in the locker room. The filing also claims parents and a program supervisor raised concerns with team officials before the criminal investigation got underway.
Arrest, Charges And Timeline
Detectives from the San José Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children taskforce identified Whitmer as the main suspect and arrested him in Denver in November 2023, according to a department press release. San José Police Department officials said investigators concluded that the alleged assaults occurred at Sharks Ice and at the coach’s temporary residence in San José, and that they obtained arrest and search warrants as part of the case. Local outlets including KTVU and Hoodline later covered the arrest and related charges.
Organizational Failures Alleged
The lawsuit accused Sharks Sports & Entertainment and its subsidiary Sharks Ice of failing to put in place or enforce USA Hockey locker room and electronic communication policies and of ignoring multiple warnings about the coach. The settlement resolves those claims without any admission of liability, according to BusinessWire. The complaint says a program supervisor repeatedly raised red flags and was later dismissed, and the firm’s announcement characterized the settlement as a step toward restoring dignity to the survivor. Attorneys for the plaintiff said the agreement holds the organization accountable even though it does not include an admission of wrongdoing.
What Happens Next
Whitmer is expected to be sentenced this week and, according to local coverage, faces the prospect of decades in prison. San Jose Inside reported that he pleaded no contest in August to multiple felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts and to possession of child pornography. In California, courts generally must approve settlements on behalf of minors and can order that the money be placed in blocked accounts or otherwise supervised until the child becomes an adult, as outlined in the Superior Court’s minor-compromise guidance.
