Hoskins victim testifies: we had sex

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A 16-year-old girl allegedly sexually assaulted by Kenneth Hoskins Jr. -- a former school advocate -- reluctantly testified they had sex in his Central High School office earlier this year.

"One time, in his office," the girl said in a preliminary hearing to determine if Hoskins should stand trial.

Her testimony was enough for Grand Rapids District Judge Donald Passenger to order Hoskins, 32, to stand trial on a charge of third-degree sexual assault involving a school employee and student. The girl had told Judge Donald Passenger she didn't want to be part of the hearing. The reason: "Because I love him."

But the judge said she was "obligated" to testify.

Passenger said he could order her in contempt of court and hold her in a juvenile facility if she refused.

He adjourned Monday's preliminary hearing for a short time until he could find an attorney for her.

Hoskins' attorney, John Beason, told the judge before the hearing that the girl didn't want to testify. He said he was concerned the judge would force her to.

"If you push her into testifying, she might testify falsely," Beason said.

The preliminary hearing originally was scheduled two weeks ago, but was adjourned after the victim ran away.

Hoskins, who worked as a school advocate at Central High School, is accused of having sexual relationships with a pair of 16-year-old girls shortly after he started.

One of the alleged assaults occurred at the school, police said.

The other allegedly led to a Motel 6. That victim has testified against Hoskins in a preliminary hearing. He was ordered to stand trial in that case.

In each case, Hoskins is charged with third-degree sexual assault -- 15-year felonies.

He has a long court history, including four paternity suits, one involving a 13-year-old girl when he was a 17-year-old senior at Creston High School. Court records show he had four children by three teenaged mothers by the time he was 22. He had two arrests as a juvenile for shoplifting and twice was convicted, as an adult, for providing false information to police.

School officials have said they checked his background but were not aware of his court history when they hired Hoskins in November 2008 as a youth advocate -- to help at-risk students at Central High School. The alleged assaults began a month later.