McMINNVILLE (AP) — The mothers of two girls on the receiving end of a “swatting” incident involving boys at Patton Middle School are suing the McMinnville School District and three boys involved in the case.

Attorney William Brandt of Salem filed the lawsuits in federal court.

Vicki Jensen and Cindy de las Heras, mothers of two of the girls, contend the district failed to protect both girls from being sexually assaulted and harassed and for exposing their identities.

The suits seek at least $125,000 in damages for each girl.

Tanya Gross, spokeswoman for the school district, said she could not discuss the litigation in detail but said the district denies the allegations.

The boys, Cory Mashburn and Ryan Cornelison, both 13, were lodged in juvenile detention in February 2007 on charges of first-degree sex abuse after they patted and poked the breasts and buttocks of their middle-school classmates. An unnamed third boy also was listed as a defendant.

The charges were downgraded and later dismissed after a judge convinced four victims to sign civil compromise agreements.

In an interview with the McMinnville News-Register last July, before the charges were dismissed, Brandt said his clients were being re-victimized by the media attention.

He said his clients were being harassed, tormented and blamed for the prosecutions.

He said the harassment continued to the point where they felt compelled to drop school activities, enter psychological counseling and consider changing schools.

Brandt blamed the school for allowing harassment for several weeks without taking action and claimed the school bungled its investigation.

“We just want our girls to be able to go to school in peace. We want them to be able to get back to being normal teenagers,” he said at the time.