Thomas Kessinger, Elmwood, Indiana (arrested Apr 2013)

Discussion in 'Tomcats' started by TMP, May 3, 2013.

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    Kessinger Thomas.jpg

    Thomas Kessinger, 29, teacher and head girls' basketball coach at Elwood Community High School, Elwood Community Schools, Elwood, Indiana, "accusations he had an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old student"

    Also taught at:
    • Elwood Alternative School, Elwood, Indiana
    Indy Channel: Thomas Kessinger, coach, teacher for Elwood Schools, fired after arrest on child seduction charge (May 2 2013)

    A teacher and coach with Elwood Schools has been fired after accusations he had an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old student. Thomas Kessinger, 29, the head girls' basketball coach at Elwood Community High School, was arrested Tuesday evening on preliminary charges of child seduction and official misconduct, both felonies. The investigation began after the Indiana Department of Child Services notified police and Elwood school officials about a complaint concerning an inappropriate relationship between Kessinger and a player.

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    Thomas Kessinger, Indiana, Elwood Community High School, Elwood Community Schools, Elwood
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    Herald Bulletin: Elwood coach charged with child seduction (Apr 30 2013)

    Elwood High School girls varsity basketball coach Thomas Kessinger, 29, is facing charges after allegedly engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old player ... Police Chief Sam Hanna said the Indiana Department of Child Services contacted him and Elwood school officials in reference to a complaint over an inappropriate relationship between Kessinger, who is also the middle school instructional assistant in charge of Elwood’s alternative school, and the teenage player.

    ...

    In 2008, he was arrested on a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor, according to public record. That case was dismissed when the officer failed to appear in court. Then in 2009, he was arrested on a public intoxication charge, a Class B misdemeanor, in Vanderburgh County, according to court documents. He was eligible for the pretrial diversion program in that case.
     
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    WLFI: Basketball coach facing charges of child seduction (Apr 30 2013)

    The Elwood High School girl’s varsity basketball coach is facing felony charges, after police say he had an “inappropriate relationship” with a 17-year-old player. 29-year-old Thomas Kessinger was booked and released from the Madison County Jail Tuesday evening. Police say they received a phone call last week from the Indiana Department of Child Services. “They received a phone call over their hotline, reference a possible molestation, or inappropriate conduct between a coach and a player,” explained Elwood Police Chief Sam Hanna. Police conducted interviews and say they believe that tip is true. “They had a friendship and some other things that came out, that are going to be looked at by the prosecutor’s office,” said Hanna.
     
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    WANE: Basketball coach charged with child seduction (Apr 30 2013)

    An Elwood basketball coach [Thomas Kessinger] is facing charges after police say he had an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old girl ... Officials were alerted to an inappropriate relationship between Kesinger and a 17-year-old player on his team. Kessinger was confronted about the relationship by school officials. He is expected to turn himself in to police Tuesday.
     
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    Herald Bulletin: Elwood school board to decide Kessinger’s fate (May 1 2013)

    [Thomas] Kessinger, 29, posted a bail bond of $5,000 on Tuesday evening after turning himself in and faces preliminary charges of child seduction and official misconduct, both Class D felonies, after allegedly engaging in an inappropriate relationship with one of his 17-year-old players, according to Elwood police ... New details have also emerged with the release of the probable cause affidavit. It was allegedly during spring break that the female player talked to peers about her sexual relationship with Kessinger and exchanged multiple texts with him, including a nude photo of herself. She initially told police she wasn’t having a relationship with Kessinger and had only exchanged a few texts with him over break, the affidavit said. Kessinger allegedly told police he hadn’t even texted her during that time period. When an officer informed him he’d be pulling text message records, Kessinger indicated there may have been 10 or 20 exchanged texts, the affidavit said. According to the affidavit, police found more than 1,500 texts exchanged between the two in the span of a week; one of which the player told Kessinger to “come [expletive] me” with a response of “I want it.” After being presented with the text message data, the student then allegedly told police she’d had sex with Kessinger around 10 to 15 times in his car, at his parent’s house and at the high school, the affidavit said.
     
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    CNHI News Service: High school coach accused of seducing player (May 1 2013)

    Thomas Kessinger, 29, a former star basketball player at Elwood Community High School, was charged by police with child seduction and official misconduct. He was suspended without pay. Police Chief Sam Hanna said a complaint against the coach was registered with the Indiana Department of Child Services, and after an investigation, an arrest warrant was issued. Kessinger turned himself in to police Tuesday night.
     
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    Indianapolis Star: Elwood High School girls basketball coach faces child seduction charges (Apr 30 2013)

    [Thomas] Kessinger was suspended without pay because of an alleged relationship with a 17-year-old on the team, the Herald Bulletin reported today. Kessinger, who could face termination, had planned to turn himself in to the Madison County Jail Tuesday evening, the paper said.
     
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    Herald Bulletin: Elwood school board terminates Kessinger's coaching contract (May 2 2013)

    The Elwood Community Schools board unanimously voted to terminate girls varsity basketball coach Thomas Kessinger’s contract Thursday evening ... Kessinger, 29, is being preliminarily charged with child seduction and official misconduct, both Class D felonies ... And because Kessinger was an instructional aide who did not have a teacher’s contract but rather a classified, or at-will, contract, no hearing had to be held, Austin added.
     
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    Fox 59: Elwood basketball coach fired over alleged relationship with player (May 2 2013)

    The Elwood Community School Board voted Thursday night to immediately fire the varsity girls basketball coach amidst charges involving a sexual relationship he had with one of his players. The board skipped ahead to the end of their meeting agenda to terminate 29-year-old Thomas Kessinger ... Court documents obtained by Fox59 said the investigation started with an anonymous call to the Department of Child Services about a 17-year-old girl who was telling friends about her sexual relationship with Kessinger. The comments were made over spring break. According to a probable cause affidavit, Kessinger and the girl initially denied a sexual relationship. But when police pulled phone records, they found the two had exchanged more than 1,500 text messages between March 30 and April 8 of this year. “Another classmate witnessed (the victim) send a nude photograph of herself to Thomas,” according to the court documents. After further questioning, “she advised that they may have had sex 10 to 15 times,” the documents said. The victim also told police the two had sex at the high school, at Kessinger’s parents’ house and in Kessinger’s car.
     
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    WIBC: Elwood Basketball Coach Arrested on Child Seduction Charges (Apr 30 2013)

    Elwood Police tell our news gathering partners at RTV6 that 29-year-old Thomas Kessinger turned himself into police Tuesday at the Madison County Jail in Anderson. Kessinger is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old player.