David Waldman, 42, was sentenced in Arapahoe County Court to 10 years to life of intensive sex offender probation for two incidents involving young girls who had come to his home for sleepovers with his daughter. Prosecutors tell the 9Wants to Know investigators that there may be more victims who have not been identified.
In one instance, in 2011, prosecutors say a 13-year-old girl called her parents requesting to be picked up from Waldman's home. She told her parents that Waldman touched her genital area and "smelled her" there, according to prosecutors. Waldman allegedly admitted what happened to his wife. When she asking him if it could be a "misunderstanding," prosecutors say Waldman told her "no."
Waldman also pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault on a child for a July 2010 incident in which a then 12-year-old told her parents that Waldman came into the room where she was sleeping and tried to pull down her pajama bottoms and persisted until she sat up awake.
The family of the victim in the 2010 incident did not immediately report it to police. They came forward only after seeing coverage of the Penn State University child sex abuse scandal and investigators connected the allegation with the 2011 incident.
Several of the music organizations Waldman is associated with declined to immediately disassociate themselves with the man universally described as a talented musician.
Waldman's work with the Colorado Chamber Players took him to dozens of schools.
Director Barbara Hamilton said the Chamber Players board and staff will determine if Waldman will return. He was placed on leave two weeks ago when he disclosed the criminal case, Hamilton said.
"He's a wonderful musician and he's been a wonderful colleague," Hamilton said. "It's certainly been a shock to us."
Hamilton said one-third of the group's activities involve schools.
"He never would have been outside of the eyesight of people in our group," Hamilton said.
Waldman mentored students in the Denver Young Artists Orchestra.
An employee of the Young Artists Orchestra said the group had a statement prepared, but that she was not ready to release it.
The extent of Waldman's access to children through the Young Artists Orchestra was not immediately clear.
"Bringing music of all genres to young children is passion of his," Waldman's online biography states.
Prosecutors invited concerned parents of children in the Young Artists Orchestra to contact the Aurora Police Department's Crimes Against Children Unit at 303-739-6141.
Waldman joined the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in 1994 and currently holds the position of fourth chair violin.
CEO Gene Sobczak says Waldman has been on unpaid leave since June, when the CSO became aware of the allegation through a third party. Sobczak said a decision on Waldman's permanent status with the CSO would be announced within a day or two.
(KUSA-TV © 2012 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)