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News Tribune coverage of ex-Sumner basketball coach’s trial

Stories by Tacoma News Tribune journalists, with AI summarization

This list of stories outlines the trial and accusations against former Sumner High School basketball coach Jacob "Jake" Jackson. A jury convicted Jackson of sexually abusing players, and a judge sentenced him to 40 years in prison. Prosecutors said Jackson abused minors at his home and used platforms like Snapchat to send and request sexually explicit messages. Separate from his criminal case, families filed lawsuits against Jackson and the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District related to the abuse.

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

Jake Jackson, former Sumner High Basketball coach, is sentenced for 19 sex crime charges at Pierce County Superior Court, on Thursday, April 17, 2025, in Tacoma, Wash. By Brian Hayes

NO. 1: HERE’S SENTENCE FOR EX-SUMNER HOOPS COACH CONVICTED OF SEXUALLY ABUSING PLAYERS

Jacob “Jake” Jackson was hired in 2016 and placed on leave in 2022 when allegations surfaced and later resigned. | Published April 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Shea Johnson

Jacob “Jake” Jackson, former Sumner High School coach, is taken to jail after the guilty verdicts were read in sexual abuse trial, at Pierce County Superior Court, on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Tacoma Wash. By Brian Hayes

NO. 2: JURY DELIVERS VERDICT IN SEX-ABUSE TRIAL OF FORMER SUMNER HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL COACH

Jacob “Jake” Jackson, 37, was tried for rape and molestation charges for allegedly abusing eight high school players he coached. | Published January 30, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

NO. 3: PRESSED BY PROSECUTION, EX-SUMNER COACH DENIES SENDING SEXUALLY EXPLICIT PHOTOS TO PLAYERS

Jacob “Jake” Jackson, 37, in on trial on rape and molestation charges for allegedly abusing eight high school players he coached. | Published January 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Peter Talbot

Jacob “Jake” Jackson, former Sumner High School coach prepares to take the stand during his trail for sexual abuse, at Pierce County Superior Court, on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Tacoma Wash. By Brian Hayes

NO. 4: ‘ABSOLUTELY NOT.’ EX-SUMNER COACH TESTIFIES HE WAS NOT INTERESTED IN SEX WITH PLAYER

Jacob “Jake” Jackson took the stand in his criminal trial Tuesday. He’s charged with sexually abusing eight boys when he coached the Sumner High boys basketball team. | Published January 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Puneet Bsanti

NO. 5: EX-SUMNER COACH APPEARS IN PACKED COURTROOM FOR RAPE, CHILD MOLESTATION CHARGES

“From the turnout today the community is taking this to heart,” a court commissioner says during the arraignment. | Published May 11, 2023 | Read Full Story by Angelica Relente

NO. 6: FORMER SUMNER HIGH VARSITY BASKETBALL COACH CHARGED WITH RAPE, CHILD MOLESTATION

The Sumner Police Department forwarded its investigation to the prosecuting attorney’s office on April 20. | Published April 28, 2023 | Read Full Story by Angelica Relente

NO. 7: LAWSUIT ACCUSES FORMER SUMNER BASKETBALL COACH OF SEXUAL ABUSE AND HARASSMENT OF MINOR

The boy is under “extreme emotional distress” as a result of the coach’s abuse, the lawsuit alleges. | Published October 21, 2022 | Read Full Story by Angelica Relente

NO. 8: LAWSUIT ALLEGES FORMER SUMNER BASKETBALL COACH SEXUALLY ABUSED AND HARASSED MINOR

The child’s family filed the lawsuit in February. Another family filed a similar lawsuit against the former basketball coach in October. | Published March 13, 2023 | Read Full Story by Angelica Relente

NO. 9: FAMILIES ALLEGE SCHOOL DISTRICT FAILED TO PROTECT MINORS FROM COACH THEY ACCUSE OF ABUSE

“If the district had acted in 2018, then all of these four boys would have been protected,” an attorney representing the families said. | Published April 6, 2023 | Read Full Story by Angelica Relente

NO. 10: DOZENS RALLY TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WHO ACCUSE EX-SUMNER HIGH COACH OF SEXUAL ABUSE

“I’m just trying to support my friends that have been affected by this,” one high school student said. | Published May 18, 2023 | Read Full Story by Angelica Relente

NO. 11: INVESTIGATION OF FORMER SUMNER HIGH COACH ACCUSED OF ABUSE WAS INADEQUATE, SUIT ALLEGES

The lawsuit contends the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District did not act on information it had about Jacob “Jake” Jackson. | Published August 21, 2023 | Read Full Story by Alexis Krell

The Sumner-Bonney Lake School District reached a $7.6 million settlement with a family after they filed a lawsuit for failing to protect a high school student with a disability from being sexually assaulted. By Courtesy of the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District

NO. 12: EX-SUMNER HIGH COACH CREATED A ‘SEXUALLY HARASSING ATMOSPHERE,’ NEW LAWSUIT SAYS

The former coach was released on bail and awaits trial for his criminal charges. | Published April 9, 2024 | Read Full Story by Angelica Relente

This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.