A former Mountain View High School football player will stand trial in juvenile court next year on charges that he sexually assaulted a teenage girl.
Matthew F. Stroshine, 17, Orem, appeared before 4th District Juvenile Court Judge Sterling B. Sainsbury Thursday. Sainsbury asked Stroshine if he was prepared to go to trial on two felony sexual abuse charges. Stroshine's father, who was present in court, told his son to say, "Yes."Prosecutors said they had been unable to resolve the case by way of a plea agreement with Stroshine. Prosecutors also told Sainsbury they needed at least two months so evidence in the case could be analyzed. Sainsbury set the trial for March 3.
Stroshine is charged with sexually assaulting a 17-year-old Highland girl while they were watching movies with friends in an Orem home Aug. 18. According to court documents, the girl told police a boy touched her genitals and made her touch his without her consent.
The accusations drew media coverage because the girl's mother wrote letters to school administrators, government officials, news organizations and coaches of opposing football teams. The woman said she didn't think investigators took her daughter's allegations seriously.
At Thursday's hearing, Sainsbury ordered that a mutual no-contact order between Stroshine and the victim remain in place.
Stroshine's father told Sainsbury his son would be represented by attorney Brad Rich during the trial. Juvenile court defendants typically aren't represented by attorneys in the early proceedings of criminal cases.