CHICAGO (CBS) — A former south suburban high school wrestling coach has been arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl earlier this year at his former home in Glenwood.
Aaron Richmond, 31, of Harvey, has been charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse and aggravated criminal sexual assault, according to Glenwood police.
Richmond, a teacher and wrestling coach at Thornton Fractional South High School in Lansing, allegedly picked up the girl from home in March under the guise of taking her to her school’s wrestling tournament in Springfield. After picking her up, he claimed he had to go home to pack for the trip.
Richmond invited the girl to his house to wait, claiming he had to gather supplies for the wrestling match, but shortly after they went inside he sexually assaulted her, police said. Then he drove her to the wrestling match and told her not to tell anyone what happened.
According to prosecutors, the victim wrote a school newspaper in May about inappropriate contact between staff and students. After school staff examined her paper, she told staff about the March attack. The school notified her mother, who later found a photo the girl had accidentally taken of herself as Richmond attacked her.
Three friends later told police that the girl told them what had happened.
Richmond resigned from Thornton Fractional in June, according to a report from the school district’s June board meeting.
After an investigation, Richmond was arrested Wednesday. During his initial appearance on Friday, a judge ordered him held in the Cook County Jail while he awaits trial. He is due back in court on December 31.
