Soccer Coach Faces Child Sex Charge

An Ohio soccer coach and teacher at West Branch (OH) High School has been indicted on charges of sexual contact with a child, according to a report from the Salem News.

Matthew Thomas, 50, was indicted on two counts of gross sexual imposition — a third-degree felony — according to the report. He is accused of having sexual contact with a 10-year-old female over the first week of May 2015.

He, according to the story, teaches world history at West Branch High School and coaches boys’ soccer. Thomas has since been placed on administrative leave and will not be allowed to coach or teach, according to acting superintendent Micki Egli.

“In the interim, we will continue to cooperate with law enforcement and the prosecutor’s office. Our focus remains on protecting our students and providing them with a safe and secure learning environment. We will continue to be vigilant in those efforts,” Egil said in the statement.

Thomas has been involved with the West Branch soccer program since 1998, serving as head coach of both the girls and boys varsity teams. In 2018, he was inducted into the Youngstown District Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame. State records show that Thomas has no disciplinary records.

According to the article, Egli noted that the school district was not involved in the incident and no students were harmed. She went on to add that Thomas was immediately “administratively assigned to home” and will remain suspended until there is a final resolution to the case.

“Our focus remains on protecting our students and providing them with a safe and secure learning environment. We will continue to be vigilant in those efforts,” Egil said in a statement.

To get the full story of the West Branch High School suspending a coach/teacher, click here and here.