David Fisher Arrested for Sexual Child Abuse

Mayes County deputies arrested the principal of Choteau Elementary on Tuesday.

According to Sheriff Frank Cantey, David Fisher is being held on three counts of sexual child abuse.

Sheriff Cantey says the suspected abuse occured during the 2003-2004 school year. A then-13-year-old girl made the accusations against Fisher.

Fisher had been a teacher, bus driver and coach at Mazie Elementary at the time. This year he took the principal position at Chouteau Elementary.

Gary Anthony Debrielle Charged with Child Solicitation

A Fairfax County man who worked as a high school wrestling coach was being held without bond Tuesday after he was arrested on charges of felony child solicitation in an online sex sting carried out by the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office.

Gary Anthony Debrielle, 26, of Chantilly was picked up at his home over the weekend by Fairfax County police on a Spotsylvania warrant that resulted from a series of online conversations last month, said 1st Sgt. Liz Scott, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office. She said Spotsylvania sheriff's deputy Megan Warren, posing as a 14-year-old girl, had Internet chats with Debrielle between July 10 and 14 that "turned sexual in nature."

Police traced Debrielle, who used a screen name, to a residence in Chantilly and discovered that he was employed part time by Fairfax County Public Schools, Scott said. FCPS officials said he was an assistant wrestling coach at Woodson High School.

Debrielle was charged with online solicitation of a child and attempted indecent liberties with a child. He was being held under no bond at Rappahannock Regional Jail, Scott said.

Warren was assisted in the investigation by Detective Clay Blankenship, she said.

Trial Begins for David Durling Accused of Sexual Assault

Opening arguments were made this morning in the trial of a Vineland soccer coach charged with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child in 2004 and 2005.

The charges against David Durling, for incidents that allegedly happened on camping trips and overnight stays with three 10- and 11-year-old boys he coached in soccer, were based on statements by the children.

Assistant Cumberland County Prosecutor Dara Paley, in her opening statement, described Durling as "the man that all three boys trusted and all three considered to be their surrogate father ... (who) betrayed the trust of all three boys."

"I guess we can all go home now," said Durling's lawyer, Carmen DiMario, in his opening statement.

"The prosecutor wants you to be stupid. They would be happy if you said, 'Child molestation. Guilty'," he said.

DiMario called it "one of the worst-investigated cases I've seen in my life."

First on the witness stand in the afternoon was Vineland Detective Louis Negron.

David Prongay Pleads Guilty to Sexual Assault

An Edison man admitted today that he sexually assaulted a member of the lacrosse team he coached and endangered the welfare of another girl he coached in softball in 2002.

David Prongay, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault and one count of endangering the welfare of a child. He faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced in October.

Prongay told Superior Court Judge Frederick De Vesa in New Brunswick that he sexually assaulted a child between the ages of 13 and 16 between April 1, 2008, and Feb. 1, 2009.

Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Christi Bevacqua said Prongay assaulted the victim "multiple times."

Prongay admitted he "kissed" the second victim, who was 15 in 2002 when the incident occurred. Under questioning from the judge, Prongay admitted the kiss was for his own sexual gratification.

For five seasons, Prongay, a general contractor, was a volunteer coach for the Edison Lightning, a lacrosse team for seventh- and eighth-graders. He also had coached the Edison Angels, a recreational softball team, in 2002.

"We think it was a fair resolution that was struck to spare the victims from any more court proceedings," Bevacqua said after the plea hearing. "The victims are very pleased that this was done. This was a huge betrayal of trust for both victims and this (proceeding) is closure."

Several members of the victims' families were in court for the hearing and became emotional as Prongay spoke.

Prongay was arrested Feb. 18 and charged with aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the lacrosse team victim. He was free on $250,000 bail on Feb. 24 when he was arrested and charged with attempted aggravated sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, and endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the member of the softball team.

He had faced up to 30 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

Prongay pleaded guilty to an accusation. His case had not yet been presented to a grand jury.

In return for his guilty plea, the state agreed to dismiss the more serious aggravated sexual assault charge, along with all but one of the child endangerment charges.

The agreement calls for the state to recommend Prongay receive up to 10 years in prison for the sexual assault and four years for the child endangerment, with the two sentences to run at the same time.

De Vesa said Prongay could be ordered to serve up to one third of his sentence before he becomes eligible for parole.

The judge scheduled sentencing for Oct. 13, but that will depend on when the court receives the report from the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Avenel on whether Prongay is a repetitive or compulsive sex offender.

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Previous coverage:
Edison lacrosse, softball coach facing additional sex assault charges
Edison lacrosse coach charged with sexually assaulting teen

James Laird Seegars Jr Wanted for Sexual Abuse

Niceville Police, along with the U.S. Marshals, are on a manhunt. They're looking for a high school basketball coach accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old.

The coach, 28-year-old James Laird Seegars, Jr., was supposed to surrender Monday morning at 10:00, but never showed up.

However, the school's superintendent, Robert Grete, and former superintendent, Donald Larson, were arrested. Police say the men failed to report child abuse to the proper authorities.

Investigators report the student's father told school officials about an online chat between the coach and his daughter. Larson and Grete apparently told the father they would do an internal investigation before authorities were called.

They are both free on bond.
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More Information: http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/crime/Niceville_Coach_Accused_Of_Sexual_Abuse

John Kovach Arrested for Child Porn

A teacher and field hockey coach is now facing a federal indictment on child pornography charges.

Fifty-two-year-old John Kovach was arrested on March 11 by Baltimore County police. He was a teacher at a Montessori school in Montgomery County and an assistant field hockey coach at Towson University.

Authorities say the investigation began after a sexually explicit online conversation between Kovach and a retired Los Angeles police detective who was posing as a 13-year-old girl.

Police searched Kovach's Reisterstown home and seized computers. According to the indictment, authorities found sexually explicit images of young girls.

Kovach has been charged with receipt and possession of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years.
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http://media-newswire.com/release_1095264.html

Former Youth Coach William Jacobsen Sentenced to Life for Sexual Abuse

BELTON, Texas

A life prison term has been ordered for a former youth baseball coach in Central Texas convicted of sexually abusing boys.

A judge in Belton on Thursday sentenced 32-year-old William Thomas Jacobsen, formerly of Little River-Academy.

A jury in June convicted Jacobsen of two counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child, in allegations brought by boys related to their 2007 visits to the man's home.

Prosecutor Leslie McWilliams says two victims described the abuse during Jacobsen's trial, while two others offered testimony during the sentencing phase.

Jacobsen had fled to Mexico after the allegations became public, but was arrested last August.
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http://www.tdtnews.com/story/2009/07/17/59361/

Daniel Acker Arrested for Assaulting Boys

A 62-year-old Milwaukee-area swim coach accused of assaulting boys is out of jail after posting $100,000 bail.

As a condition of his bail, Daniel Acker had to surrender his passport and cannot have contact with children other than a niece and nephew.

Acker was arrested in March while coaching youth swimmers at Frank Lloyd Middle school in West Allis. Earlier that day, a man told police Acker had sexually assaulted him in the early 1970s.

Acker faces five counts related to sex crimes against children. Investigators say he has not been charged in other cases because the statute of limitations expired.

Acker's expected to go on trial in October.

Dennis Holt Sentenced for Child Abuse

A former Westford resident and Chelmsford High School basketball coach was sentenced Tuesday after being found guilty of a child abuse charge.

Dennis Holt, 62, who now resides in Florida, was sentenced after being found guilty on May 18 of assault with intent to rape a child. Middlesex Superior Court Judge Sandra Hamlin sentenced Holt to five to seven years in state prison.

"The defendant used his position as a mentor and coach to gain this vulnerable victim’s trust," District Attorney Gerry Leone said. "The defendant then violated that trust by committing a series of assaults against the young boy. We thank the victim for coming forward and disclosing what had happened to him so that the defendant could be prosecuted for these disturbing crimes."

Police said Holt met the then 12-year-old victim in the 1990s while the victim was a student at a basketball camp where the defendant was a coach. After the camp ended, Holt invited the victim to his home in Westford multiple times to water-ski.

As time went on, he encouraged the victim to sleep over at his house and committed a series of sexual assaults against the victim over a period of years.

Bob Bopp Arrested for Sexual Assault

The latest photo of Bob Bopp, the high school hall of fame hockey coach who led Grosse Pointe South to a state championship in 2007, isn't a publicity snapshot or an image captured moments after victory.

It's a blurry mug shot, taken by law enforcement officials after Bopp was booked on suspicion of sexual assault, charges that could land him in jail for the rest of his life.

Bopp, 53, and James McBee, 20, of Highland Township were being held Monday without bond on several felony charges, including raping a 16-year-old Farmington Hills boy in 2007. The men are accused of giving the teen alcohol, showing him pornographic pictures and sexually assaulting him.

Law enforcement officials throughout the region fear there could be others alleging abuse.

Meanwhile on Monday, the Grosse Pointe school district posted a vacancy for the job of Grosse Pointe South varsity hockey coach on its Web site.

Bopp's attorney, Southfield-based Christopher Andreoff, said his client is holding up, but he declined to discuss specifics of the case because he is waiting to see more evidence.

"He's obviously very upset by the charges," Andreoff said of Bopp. "It's very stressful. I told him to have as much patience as he can until we see how this works out."

During a raid of Bopp's home June 16, authorities said they confiscated pornographic images, including videos believed to involve kids. Authorities are now working to identify those in the pictures and on the tapes.

The raid was conducted by federal agents along with officers from the Farmington Hills and Taylor police departments.

Maria Miller, a Wayne County assistant prosecutor, on Monday said: "We would urge anyone with information that may be helpful to the investigation of defendants Bopp and McBee to call their local police."

Parents and team members painted a paradoxical picture of a man fiercely dedicated to his team but also secretive about his personal life.

He was aloof when parents approached him, often avoiding their gaze, even when they came to congratulate him on a good game, one parent said.

'The kids liked him'

"He was very standoffish with parents," said a mother of one team member, who declined to be identified. "He was very hard to get to know, but the kids liked him."

Bryan Sullivan, president of the Michigan Metro High School Hockey League, said Bopp was well-respected and was always advocating for his players to other coaches and nominating them for awards.

Sullivan said several coaches in the league felt a collective guilt for failing to see any warning signs.

"We're all in this for the kids. You don't want to see anything like this happen," said Sullivan, who has known Bopp as a coach for 25 years.

Dan Barry, who took over as president of the Michigan High School Hockey Coaches Association in April 2008, said he was stunned by the allegations.

Barry, the head coach at Warren De La Salle, said he has known Bopp for 16 years.

"He always got the best out of his players," Barry said. "He kept them motivated, and the kids always seemed to like him."

Bopp's preliminary exam is set for June 29.

Meanwhile, Taylor Police Cmdr. Don Helvey said authorities are "bracing for the possibility of other victims."

"That's where we'll do our follow-up -- it's basically waiting to see if anything else comes up from other cases."

Grosse Pointe Schools officials did not return calls Monday to The Detroit News.

'Red flags were ignored'

At a board meeting Monday night, parent Mike Shields told officials his son played on the hockey team for about three years but quit before the end of his senior year because of problems with the coach.

"Red flags were ignored," Shields told the board during the public comments portion of the meeting.

"This issue runs deeper than just the coach."

Bopp started coaching Grosse Pointe South in 1992, amassing a 241-120-12 record before winning the Division II state championship in 2007.


Video: 2007 interview with hockey coach Bob Bopp

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http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/090622_gps_coach

Bruce Unger Pleads Guilty to Assault on Child

Former Bryan teacher Bruce Unger agreed to a plea bargain Monday morning and was sentenced to 40 years in prison just minutes before a jury was expected to be selected for his trial on aggravated assault of a child charges.

He pleaded guilty to all charges he faced, which also included indecency with a child and bond jumping.

Opening statements were set to begin in the trial Tuesday morning.

Unger once taught fifth grade at Neal Elementary School in Bryan and received national accolades for creating and coaching a soccer team for at-risk youth.

He was arrested on two charges of indecency with a child by sexual contact in November 2006 after police said he fondled two boys.

In January 2007, he was arrested again and charged with three more counts of indecency and one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child after more people came forward with molestation accusations.

His trial first was scheduled for late 2007, but he failed to show up at a pretrial hearing. His father said at the time that he had taken his motorcycle to Colorado to clear his head.

Unger wasn’t heard from again until December 2008, when local officials, FBI agents and U.S. Marshals tracked him to a town outside Kiev, Ukraine. Authorities said he was living there under the adopted name Tylor McCoy and teaching English lessons.

He was arrested and extradited to Brazos County soon after he was located.

The 30-year-old will return to court Monday afternoon to hear statements from his victims.

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Video & Picture: http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/48792387.html

Baseball Coach William Jacobsen Guilty of Sexual Abuse

A Bell County jury returned a guilty verdict Wednesday afternoon in the trial of former youth baseball coach William Thomas Jacobsen, who was charged with two counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child in a series of incidents involving two young boys, one of whom was a member of his team.

Jurors returned the verdict after about a day of testimony.

On Tuesday, the victims detailed incidents that typically involved sleepovers at Jacobsen’s house where he gave boys alcohol and then singled one out for abuse, away from the others.

Jacobsen is the first person to be indicted and tried under the continuous sexual abuse of a child law, which went into effect in September 2007 and which raises the punishment range from 25 years to life without parole in certain sexual assault cases.

Jacobsen will be sentenced later.

The charges stem from an investigation that started on June 10, 2008 when deputies were sent to Scott & White Hospital in response to a report that a youth baseball coach had sexually assaulted a 13-year-old boy.

The boy told investigators the sexual assaults started about a year before and said the latest had occurred in early June. 2008.

Authorities identified at least four potential victims, but Jacobsen went to trial on charges stemming from incidents involving just two.

Jacobsen was relieved of his coaching duties after deputies advised the Little River-Academy Youth Baseball League about the investigation.

He was also relieved of his duties as a Little River-Academy volunteer firefighter.

Jacobsen didn’t stick around to wait for deputies to arrest him, however.

He and his wife fled the area on June 21, 2008 after an initial interview with investigators.

The two were fugitives for 50 days before being captured in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico on August 9, 2008.

Marilyn Wesson, 58, was charged with hindering apprehension.

She is scheduled to go on trial next month.
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http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=34058