Here's my question: I can understand the existence of a 8th-grade middle-school pervert with perhaps a little gang behind him. But 5 or 6??? And how in the world does a middle-schooler get 16 middle school boys to cooperate both in the repeated act and in the repeated cover-up? In addition, I can't believe that so many students would remain quiet about this for so long (September to April). Students talk to each other. Parents notice that their child is traumatized and find some way to get to the problem. Some student goes to an adult (parent or counselor). Nothing is secret at a middle school for very long.
There's more here than we've been told. The investigation isn't complete.