Ex-cop pleads not guilty to sexual abuse of 22 children

A former Colorado Springs police officer pleaded not guilty Tuesday to all counts stemming from his arrest on suspicion of sexually assaulting 22 children while volunteering at Mann Middle School.

Joshua Carrier, 30, faces a six-week jury trial slated to begin March 12.

Carrier is accused of molesting children at Mann Middle School while serving as a volunteer wrestling coach.

Student wrestlers said Carrier fondled them during “weigh-ins,” in which they are checked for communicable skin diseases.  

The school’s policies prohibit touching students during the exams, Colorado Springs School District 11 officials testified at a court hearing.

Other students said they were groped while Carrier patted them down for contraband or examined them for injuries. Part of the case against Carrier involves a claim that he falsely represented himself as an EMT.

Carrier resigned in June rather than appeal his termination by police.

His defense attorney, Christopher Decker, has said the case is driven by "fear, guilty assumptions and innuendo" — and by families eager to sue after Carrier’s earlier arrest on suspicion of possessing child pornography DVDs.

The families of at least 12 students have retained attorneys.

After Tuesday’s arraignment, a judge also agreed to postpone Carrier’s trial on charges of child pornography to Jan. 9. That trial is expected to last up to two weeks.

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