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Mukilteo Schools Athletic Director Charged with Rape of Former Bellingham Student
Russell Kert Robinson, 41, was arrested and charged with rape and molestation of a child after a former Squalicum High School student alleged Robinson assaulted him in 2013 when he was 14. Robinson, now Mukilteo's athletics and safety director, has been placed on administrative leave.
A Mukilteo School District administrator has been charged with rape of a child and child molestation after a former student in Bellingham alleged that the man, then his wrestling coach, sexually assaulted him in 2013 when the student was 14, according to court documents.
Russell Kert Robinson, 41, was arrested on October 29 and booked into jail, according to a statement from Bellingham Public Schools. He has been the Mukilteo School District's director of athletics and safety since June 2026.
The Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney's Office alleges the crimes occurred between March 25 and April 30, 2013, when Robinson was 28, and that he used a position of trust to facilitate them. The former student, a freshman at the time, told Bellingham police that Robinson, then his wrestling coach at Squalicum High School, assaulted him during spring break, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Bellingham Public Schools said it received a report from the former student, now an adult, on October 8, 2026. The district said the former student had not reported the incident previously and that it had no record of a prior report. Before that report, the district said it had not received any reports or complaints about Robinson regarding alleged sexual assault or sexual misconduct.
"We immediately reported this to the Bellingham Police Department and worked with them as they conducted their investigation," the district said in a statement.
Robinson worked in Bellingham Public Schools for more than two decades, coaching wrestling and football from 2000 to 2024 and serving as a campus monitor from 2009 to 2021. He took on additional districtwide health and safety responsibilities in 2021 and became director of safety and security in 2024 before leaving the district in June 2026 for the Mukilteo job.
The Mukilteo School District said it placed Robinson on administrative leave after learning of the charges. The district said it had no record of an earlier report or other complaints of sexual misconduct against Robinson, and that he completed state and federal criminal background checks as part of the hiring process.
Bellingham Public Schools said it is focused on student safety and is taking steps to support students and the community. "We have compassion for anyone affected by sexual abuse and honor all victims and survivors," the district said. "Our staff is committed and trained to take action and address concerning behavior."
The case highlights the challenges schools face in screening employees and the importance of creating environments where students feel safe reporting abuse, even years later. Both districts said they are cooperating with law enforcement.