14-Year-Old Boy Assaulted on City Basketball Court Sparks Allegations of a Cover-Up, Staffers Reveal

In a troubling series of events, allegations have emerged that high-ranking city officials in Maricopa conspired to conceal an assault on a middle school-aged boy at the Copper Sky Recreation Complex. Parents of the victim, along with several witnesses and gym employees, claim that city employees tampered with evidence related to the incident.

The investigation, conducted by InMaricopa, reveled that at least two city employees provided false accounts of the assault, which took place on July 16. The incident has now led to criminal charges against Anson Smith, the 43-year-old man accused of assaulting the boy, Levi Donohue, as confirmed by the Maricopa police chief on November 22.

On that day, 14-year-old Levi was reportedly playing basketball when Smith, angered by being blocked, pushed him down. “He knocked the breath out of him — he couldn’t breathe,” said Levi’s father, Dr. John Donohue. The boy, significantly lighter than Smith, was thrown to the ground, leaving him gasping for air.

This account is corroborated by a report from Recreation Superintendent David McLeish, which was leaked to InMaricopa after initial claims suggested no such document existed. Following the publication, the city subsequently confirmed the report’s existence.

In October, InMaricopa submitted a Freedom of Information Act request seeking any incident reports or video footage related to Levi. Initially denied, the request’s truth rapidly unraveled, as McLeish was found to have access to pertinent reports that characterized the incident as serious.

Quinn Konold, a spokesperson for the city, conceded to accidental oversights in the denial of the report, asserting the misspelling of Levi’s name as an error. Nonetheless, an anonymous recreation specialist, who feared retaliation, suggested this may have been an intentional cover-up by department leaders.

“You can’t hide that. That’s breaking a federal law,” the employee asserted, referencing the nature of the concealment attempts.

Smith, a construction site manager, has not publicly commented on the allegations. Although he has no prior criminal history, the charges of assault against a child under 15 carry severe consequences under Arizona law. After considerable media pressure, the Maricopa Police Department finally referred the case to the Pinal County attorney for prosecution.

“If they’re hiding this, they’re likely hiding other issues,” another Copper Sky employee stated, indicating that the city cannot continue to evade accountability.

The aggravated nature of the assault has prompted concerns regarding the city’s handling of similar incidents in the past. Notably, in June, a separate case led to a lifetime ban for an adult harassing minors, while Smith retains his access to the facility.

The Donohue family, known for their advocacy in child welfare and community events, expressed dissatisfaction with the way the incident has been managed. Their efforts to obtain information from the local police have grown increasingly frustrating, as they were initially told no report existed regarding Levi’s case.

Compounding their concerns, after being informed that Smith received a one-week suspension, testimonies from gym employees cited that he checked in the very next day. This has raised additional doubts about the city’s commitment to ensure safety and transparency.

As investigations continue, Maricopa Police Chief Mark Goodman stated that while the case remains open, further details about the investigative actions taken since the incident are still forthcoming. “We did respond, and we are reviewing it,” Goodman said. “There’s a possibility that criminal charges will be filed against that person.” Overall, the unfolding situation poses serious questions about the city’s governance and accountability in protecting its community members.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misidentified David McLeish as a director; he is a superintendent reporting to Quinn Konold, who is the director. Also, it was previously stated that Andy Juarez contacted David McLeish regarding the InMaricopa F.O.I.A. request; however, per the city, McLeish was not contacted.