Ex-Boulder swim coach given 42-year sentence for child sexual assaults in 2001

DENVER (KDVR) — A man who worked as a swim coach for the Boulder Swimming club team in the late 1990s and early 2000s was sentenced to serve 42 years to life in prison on Friday.

In April, 54-year-old Jon Beber was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust – a pattern of abuse, and one count of sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust. Both are felonies.

In a release from the 20th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, District Attorney Michael Doughtery called the “lengthy” sentence “the right outcome.”

“As the judge noted, this type of case is every parent’s worst nightmare,” Doughtery said. “Parents drop kids off for practice or school and hope that the adults in charge are not abusing their position of trust. This defendant did exactly that, for years. It is only because of the victims’ courage and perseverance that we were able to bring charges all these years later and secure justice for them and their families.”

The court sentenced Beber to serve the following sentences consecutively:

• 18 years to life, followed by 20 years to life of parole for each charge of sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust – a pattern of abuse
• 6 years in the Department of Corrections, followed by 10 years to life of parole, for sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust

The 20th Judicial District Attorney’s Office began investigating the case when three victims came forward in 2022, leading to charges against Beber. Beber was accused of sexually abusing teenage swimmers between 1997 and 2001.

No official reports were made against Beber while he was involved with the swim team, but there were allegations against him that surfaced during that time.

Parents allegedly confronted the then-swim coach about inappropriate sexual contact with multiple underage swimmers on the team. Investigators say this caused him to quit the team and leave Colorado in 2002.

The Boulder DA’s office offered community resources like reporting to local law enforcement or reaching out to residents’ local victim advocacy organizations for help. In Boulder, residents can call MESA at 303-443-7300. Anyone who has been the victim of abuse
in a sports setting can report to SafeSport at uscenterforsafesport.org/report-a-concern .

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