Ex-MLB Player Chad Curtis Sexual Assault Case – The Fierberg National Law Group, PLLC

Several Young High School Female Students Sexually Assaulted by an Ex-MLB Player

Reviewed by

Bailor Bell

Practice Areas: School Violence, Sexual Assault & Abuse

Case Details

Who: Chad Curtis — Former Major League Baseball outfielder (played 1992–2001 with six MLB teams, including the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers). Curtis was convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage student while serving as a high school coach in Ada. The case underscores the risks of abuse by authority figures in school athletics and the importance of accountability.

What Happened:
Criminal Case

While volunteering as a weight-room strength trainer and coach at Lakewood High School (Barry County, Michigan) after retiring from baseball, Curtis sexually assaulted three underage female students.
He was charged with six counts of criminal sexual conduct related to the inappropriate touching of the girls (two aged 15 and one aged 16).
In 2013, a Michigan jury found Curtis guilty on all counts. During sentencing, the judge labeled him a “predator.” Curtis denied wrongdoing and claimed the victims lied.

Civil Lawsuit

The victims later filed a federal civil lawsuit against Lakewood Public Schools and Curtis, alleging inappropriate touching and a lack of protection by the district.

Results

Criminal Sentencing

In October 2013, Curtis was sentenced to 7–15 years in prison.
His convictions were upheld on appeal, and a request for re-sentencing was withdrawn.
He was paroled in September 2020 after serving approximately seven years.

Civil Settlements

All four women settled with Lakewood Public Schools and its Board of Education in Western Michigan for an undisclosed amount.

Impact

The case serves as a stark example of the abuse of authority by a trusted adult in a school setting, resulting in substantial criminal penalties, significant civil liability, and heightened scrutiny of institutional safeguards and supervisory failures involving the protection of minors.