Ross
A former Greenwood Middle School coach was charged Monday for allegedly sending a nude image to a member of the team.
Elijah M. Ross, 22, of Greenwood, is charged with dissemination of matter harmful to a minor, a Level 6 felony. Ross was a former assistant wrestling coach at GMS. He was a “lay coach” which means he was employed as a coach but was not a teacher or staff member.
Greenwood Police began investigating Ross after they responded to GMS on Jan. 30 on a report of a student receiving explicit images from a volunteer coach. Officers spoke with the 14-year-old, who was a member of the wrestling team, who said Ross had allegedly sent a nude image of himself to the teen, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Johnson Superior Court 2.
The teen and Ross began communicating on Snapchat after he added them as a friend. At first, the conversations were about wrestling, but then they shifted. In one message from December, Ross reportedly said he wished he was 14 again because he thought the teen was “cute,” the affidavit says.
The teen told police Ross was messaging them “almost daily” to try to get them to meet up with each other. In January, Ross reportedly messaged the teen before wrestling practice asking them to sneak out of practice with him to “mess around.” The teen was scared and left school early, not returning for a few days, according to the affidavit.
The evening of Jan. 27, Ross sent “stickers” to the teen via Snapchat. These stickers were nude images of Ross, including images of his genitals. There was also an image of Ross with him asking to perform a sexual act on the teen, the affidavit says.
Officers arrested Ross at GMS in January. He first told investigators he may have accidentally sent a nude image to the teen, which was actually meant for his girlfriend. However, he later admitted it was not an accident and that he sent the messages because he wanted to “dirty talk” with the teen, according to the affidavit.
He also denied trying to meet up with the teen, the affidavit shows.
Ross told police he began speaking to the teen to talk about wrestling events, using Snapchat because younger children tend to favor it. He reportedly said he heard rumors that the teen thought he was cute and wished he was younger, later admitting he should have stopped the conversation but didn’t, according to the affidavit.
He also allegedly said he regretted sending the explicit images to the teen. Ross also said he did not have any inappropriate conversations with any other team members, including those at the high school, where he was a volunteer for a girl’s wrestling club as well, the affidavit shows.
After speaking with Ross, officers sought and obtained a search warrant for Snapchat messages. The messages verified the information the juvenile victim told police, the Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office said.
On the same day, Greenwood Community Schools learned of Ross’ alleged actions, which was Jan. 30, they terminated him from employment, Superintendent Terry Terhune said.
Non-emergency help dealing with sexual assault resources is available at Franklin-based ASSIST Indiana at 317-739-4456. For a complete list of resources from the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking, visit icesaht.org/get-help/. For emergency help dealing with sexual assault call or text 911.
