A Douglas County judge sentenced a Sedalia man to 76 years in prison for sexually assaulting multiple underage athletes at gyms he coached at, according to the 23rd Judicial District.

On Thursday, Douglas County district Judge Victoria Klingensmith sentenced Aaron Thomas Carrado, 51, to 76 years in department of corrections. He faced anywhere from eight years to life in prison.

In August, a jury found Carrado guilty on six counts of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust, on two victims. He was convicted on nine felony and three misdemeanor counts.

23rd Judicial District attorneys said he trained and assaulted “Olympic-level” athletes.

The jury previously determined Carrado assaulted at least two victims, a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old. The victims trained at the “Strength in Christ” gyms in Parker and Centennial, where Carrado worked as a trainer. 

In court, the two teenage victims testified Carrado “repeatedly” abused them between 2019 and 2022, according to the 23rd Judicial District.

Douglas County authorities began investigating when Carrado’s ex-wife reported him to law enforcement, after she found “disturbing notes and social media messages” he sent to the victims, judicial district officials said.

Authorities with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the Parker Police Department led Carrado’s investigation. No other victims were named in the investigation.

During the investigation, Carrado fled to Montana, where authorities later arrested him.

“For those who we entrust to help our children learn and grow- those who see those precious kids as objects of lustful desire, there can only be one sentence: prison, and buckets of it,” 23rd Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler, in favor of the sentencing, said.

“We are proud of the incredible work done by our detectives and crime scene investigators, who worked tirelessly to investigate Carrado,” Parker Police Department officials said in a social media statement. 

“This outcome would not have been possible without the bravery and cooperation of the two victims, as well as Carrado’s ex-wife, who reported the incident to law enforcement,” police said.