CHEYENNE - The girls basketball coach at Lingle-Fort Laramie High School has resigned in the wake of allegations that he used his position to commit a string of sexual assaults against a minor.

Buddy Patterson, 45, faces four counts of second-degree sexual assault and one count of indecent liberties with a minor, according to court documents filed by Goshen County Attorney Patrick Korell.

Patterson's lawyer, Wheatland attorney Cole Sherard, declined to comment about the case Monday afternoon.

Court documents allege that Patterson used his authority to "inflict sexual intrusion" on a minor four times between June 20, 2002, and March 31, 2003. He's also accused of taking indecent liberties with a minor on March 30, 2002, and on Sept, 17, 2003, according to court records.

The June 20 assault took place at Fort Laramie Middle School; the rest occurred at the high school, the documents say.

Circuit Judge Randal Arp on Monday issued an order strictly limiting the release of information that might reveal the identity of the alleged victim. As a result, few details about the case have been made public. Court documents do, however, indicate that the alleged crimes involve a lone female who was a minor at the time they occurred.

Patterson has been the girls basketball coach for about five years. He took a leave of absence in December 2003 to serve with the military in Kuwait.

In 2005, Patterson helped coach the basketball team to its first state tournament game win since 1938. The squad won the Class 2A state title the following year under Patterson's direction.

Patterson submitted a letter of resignation on July 5, and the school board approved the resignation at its July 19 meeting, Superintendent Ray Shulte said.

Patterson posted a $10,000 bond and was released from jail on Friday. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for 11 a.m. on Aug. 9. The judge will decide then if there is sufficient evidence to move the case to District Court.

If convicted, Patterson faces 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for each count of second-degree sexual assault, and 10 years and $1,000 for the indecent liberties charge.

Reach capital bureau reporter Jared Miller at (307) 632-1244 or at jared.miller@casperstartribune.net.