Federal Grand Jury Adds Child Exploitation Counts Against Former Rhode Island Christian School Teacher and Coach

A federal grand jury in Providence returned a five-count indictment on Sept. 2 against a former teacher and athletics coach at a Rhode Island Christian school, WPRI reported. The new indictment adds two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography to charges of coercion and enticement of a minor and falsely presenting himself as a federal employee, which prosecutors had previously brought by criminal complaint after his arrest in August, according to the station.

According to WPRI, investigators began looking at the former school employee in June after a father reported what he considered alarming online communications between the man and his 14-year-old daughter, a student the man had taught and coached. The station reported that the earlier federal complaint alleged he used those school positions to build a relationship with the girl and falsely claimed to be an agent with a covert federal unit that rescues children from sex trafficking. WJAR/Turn to 10, which also covered the indictment, reported that the affidavit supporting the complaint described increasingly elaborate claims made to the girl about that supposed federal role.

The two sexual exploitation counts allege he persuaded, induced, enticed or coerced someone under 18 into sexually explicit conduct in 2011 in order to produce visual depictions, WPRI reported, while the possession count concerns 2026. The former teacher has remained in federal custody since his August arrest, according to the station, and authorities have said they were reviewing reports involving possible contact with other minors. The charges are allegations, and the case has not been tried.