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Updated: 7:11 PM Nov 4, 2009
Former assistant volleyball coach faces sex-related charges
A team trip to Lexington leaves a former Phelps High School Assistant Volleyball Coach facing sex-related charges. Posted: 6:25 PM Nov 4, 2009Reporter: Angela Sparkman Email Address: angela.sparkman@wymtnews.com |
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A team trip to Lexington leaves a former Phelps High School Assistant Volleyball Coach facing sex-related charges.
Michael Ray Charles, 38, of Pike County is charged in Fayette County with sodomy.
Police say the incident happened while the team was at a volleyball camp at the University of Kentucky in July.
Charles is no longer a coach with the team.
The superintendent dismissed him as soon as the allegations surfaced.
Charles appeared in court Wednesday morning in Lexington.
He pleaded not guilty but police say he admitted to inappropriate contact with a 15 year old girl.
Pike County School officials say former Phelps assistant volleyball coach, 38 year old Michael Ray Charles, went to camp with the team at the University of Kentucky in July.
When school started a few months later, the Superintendent says the principal found out Charles may have had sexual contact with a 15 year old student during the camp.
“Any complaint we have of this nature, certainly we are going to be very aggressive about it,” Pike County Superintendent Roger Wagoner said.
They turned the complaint over to Police. Investigators in Lexington say Charles allegedly spent a night in the UK dorm room with four teenage girls and had sexual contact with one of them.
The arrest complaint filed in October says Charles admitted during questioning to some of the allegations.
The Superintendent immediately removed him from the school and he is no longer coaching.
“As soon as I was notified, of course, we had a brief hearing and I dismissed him at that point, for the protection of our kids,” Superintendent Wagoner said.
Charles was an unpaid, volunteer coach. The Superintendent says he passed a background check to get the position.
Officials say this appears to be an isolated incident.
“No other knowledge of any other occurrences or incidents,” Superintendent Wagoner said.
Now Charles will face the allegations in court.
This morning, Charles' case was waived to the grand jury.
He is out of jail on bond.
Latest Comments
I am 52 years old and still have vivid memories of traveling to a ballgame on a school bus and our boys basketball coach went on the bus with us I was probably 15...it was a good night we won it was hot sweaty, we were laughing, singing, and as i stood up to get off the bus at my home...I felt a hand on my butt...i quickly turned to find the coaches hands feeling of my butt..i was so scared...did any one see I thought to myself and I jumped off the bus and ran into the house...I never told a sole to this day of that frighting night ...i hate the coach which is now dead but who knows how many other girls he molested???I am sure this happens alot and poor innocent children think it is their fault and never tell anyone!!!
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Hey, I'm proud someone picked up on this. Our local papers would not. Volleyball is over now and powers that be did not stop you all from talking about it. That's why finally, local newspaper tried to take the glory for reporting it. Really, I think they tried to keep it under COVERS! Hope justice prevails. Sad that amn has children, one about the same age of girl involved. Shame,Shame....Keep up your good reporting! We all depend on your quality of reporting and for your fine weather station. A-o.k.
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What in the world is wrong with these volunteer coaches? Why do they feel they have to sexually make contact with these young kids they coach? I believe this assistant volleyball coach took advantage of a student sexually. This is like statutory rape. He should be in jail for this anyway. He should have learned his lesson anyway.
[ Report Abuse ]
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