New Lexington coach accused of posing as girl on Snapchat to get boys to send nude photos
An assistant volleyball coach at New Lexington High School in Perry County was arrested Friday by federal agents on allegations he solicited nude images from more than 100 underage boys while posing as an underage girl online.
Clay Thomas Wolfe, 28, of Junction City, is charged with sexually exploiting minors and distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography. He appeared Friday afternoon in federal court in Columbus, located about 45 miles northwest of New Lexington.
The New Lexington School District did not return a phone call message left Friday seeking comment.
Wolfe is accused by the FBI of obtaining child porn from more than 100 victims via Snapchat, a smartphone app that can be used to send messages and pictures.
Law enforcement alleges Wolfe pretended to be a 15-year-old girl named Ally on Snapchat, and used this persona to ask middle school and high school boys for nude images. Acting as Ally, Wolfe is accused by federal authorities of sending the victims naked photographs of a teen girl.
The known victims are as young as 10 and reside in Chillicothe as well as Pennsylvania, Minnesota and elsewhere, according to a news release from the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Kenneth Parker.
According to authorities, Snapchat records from March 2022 through January 2023 show Wolfe communicated online with more than 100 Snapchat users. Wolfe’s iCloud account also contained more than 100 photos and videos of child pornography.
Sexual exploitation of a minor is a federal crime punishable upon conviction by a mandatory minimum prison term of 15 years. Distribution and receipt of child pornography is punishable by from five years up to 20 years in prison.
Parker’s office announced the charges Friday with the FBI and the Perry County Sheriff’s Office.
Wolfe was previously charged in February in Perry County Municipal Court with pandering obscenity involving a minor. That case was bound over to a grand jury there, but is likely to be superseded by the federal charges.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: New Lexington coach arrested, charged with receiving child porn
