High school tennis coach accused of sex crimes against children, Washington cops say
.jpg "A high school coach in Washington was arrested and accused of sex crimes involving children.")
UPDATE: This story was updated on Feb. 1, 2023, to remove the name and other identifying factors of the accused. The charges were dismissed on Jan. 30, 2022, for “prosecutorial review and refiling,” according to court documents.
A 55-year-old high school tennis coach and youth leader is accused of sexual misconduct with children, according to Washington police and the school district.
The teacher was arrested around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 25, on multiple charges, according to a police news release and media reports.
His charges include two counts of fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation, two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor and two counts of communication with a minor for immoral purposes.
The accused was put on paid administrative leave in August, the school district told McClatchy News. He also led a youth group on Friday nights, police said.
“We are fully cooperating with the police investigation ... throughout this process. Our focus remains on the education and support of our students.” the school said in a statement.
It’s unclear if the charges involved students from the district.
“(The accused) has been a dedicated teacher and coach ... for 20 years. He has been exceedingly cooperative with law enforcement’s year long investigation and he adamantly denies any wrongdoing,” his attorney told McClatchy News in an email.
“Allegations based only on the word of the accuser are dangerous and can ruin lives. I look forward to proving (his) innocence and know the judge and citizens who will serve on the jury will see right through this false and ugly allegation,” the attorney said.
This story was originally published January 27, 2023 at 1:57 PM with the headline "High school tennis coach accused of sex crimes against children, Washington cops say."
