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SALT LAKE CITY — A volunteer assistant debate coach accused of having a sexual relationship with a student was charged with numerous felonies on Thursday.
Henry Steven Olson, 23, of Taylorsville, is charged in 3rd District Court with five counts of forcible sodomy and one count of object rape, all first-degree felonies. In addition, he is charged with two counts of sexual abuse of a minor, a third-degree felony, and supplying alcohol to a minor, a class A misdemeanor.
Olson was with the East High School debate team from August 2017 through February, acting as the temporary head coach from Sept. 10, 2018, to Oct. 29, 2018.
From about March to September in 2018, Olson, who was 21 at the time, engaged in sexual activity with a 15-year girl on the debate team, according to charging documents.
The girl told police that one time after a debate tournament, Olson provided her with alcohol and she became drunk, the charges state. He then took her to a parking garage and allegedly engaged in sexual activity.
Olson provided her with alcohol and then sexually abused her on at least two other occasions, according to the charges.
Court documents outline a series of sometimes violent sexual activity that included items used for bondage on at least one occasion.
Due to the nature of the allegation, prosecutors have requested that Olson be held in lieu of $500,000 bail and be forced to wear a GPS monitoring device if he is released.
