Former NFL player, Scottsdale high school coach faces federal child sex charges
A former NFL player and Scottsdale volunteer high school football coach was indicted on federal child sex charges.
According to the FBI, Nicolas Murphy, 43, was indicted on Aug. 22 and had his first appearance in court in Omaha, Nebraska, on Sept. 20.
Murphy is accused of transporting a young female across state lines from Omaha to Tucson in October 2021.
Murphy faces one count of knowingly traveling and transporting a female under the age of 18 with the purpose of sexual criminal activity, according to the FBI.
According to a letter sent to parents, from Desert Mountain High School located near Via Linda and 124th Street where Murphy volunteered, Murphy was banned from volunteering any further since his charges came to light.
The school told families that Murphy had cleared both a background check and a fingerprint check prior to being permitted on campus as a volunteer.
"Upon learning of these out-of-state legal proceedings, he will no longer be volunteering with our program or anywhere in our district," the school said.
The school also encouraged students to report any inappropriate behavior between students and staff in the future.
"Should you believe that anyone in our district is behaving in an inappropriate manner with a student, we urge you to report it immediately. The safety and security of our students is our top priority," the school said.
It was not immediately clear how long Murphy was a volunteer at the school.
The school declined to offer any further comments to The Arizona Republic.
Due to Murphy’s former ownership of a dance studio located in Omaha, Nebraska, the FBI said it was concerned the incident wasn't isolated.
The FBI Omaha Field Office and Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office were seeking the public’s help to identify any more potential victims and encouraged those with information to call 402-493-8688 or visit fbi.gov/nicholasmurphy
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Scottsdale high school coach faces federal child sex charges
