By Casey Murphy

Six teenage football players accused of hazing and sexual assault at a New Jersey high school were taken into custody Friday evening, October 10, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutors office. Upperclassmen turned off the locker room lights, howled and abused freshmen. The teens ages range from 15 to 17 and also a seventh teen has been charged.

According to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, “Three of the juvenile defendants are charged with aggravated sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, conspiracy to commit aggravated criminal sexual contact, criminal restraint, and hazing for engaging in an act of sexual penetration upon one of the juvenile victims,” the release stated. “One of those juvenile defendants and the remaining four juvenile defendants were charged with various counts including aggravated assault, conspiracy, aggravated criminal sexual contact, hazing and riot by participating in the attack of the remaining victims.”

The harassment has been going on for a year now, according to Sports Illustrated. “There were incidents of harassment, intimidation that took place on a pervasive level, in which the players knew, tolerated and in general accepted,” says Superintendent Richard Labbe, who has canceled the successful team’s football season.