Athens High School soccer coach Isaac Thomas allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with student, and was arrested Tuesday morning.
Athens High School’s varsity boy’s soccer coach, Isaac Thomas, was arrested Tuesday following accusations of engaging in a sexual relationship with a student, authorities said.
Thomas, also a social studies teacher at the high school, had allegedly been engaged in the relationship since December 2013, according to a news release from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.
Thomas was also a facilitator and master instructor for the online Master’s in Coaching Education program at OU since 2011, according to a university "Faculty Spotlight" article.
The university declined to comment.
Brice Fick, detective for the Sheriff's Office, would not say whether the student was a minor.
Athens County Interim Replacement Sheriff Rodney Smith said the department was notified of the situation through a tip.
Detectives arrested Thomas, 35, at the high school around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Fick said.
“He was asked to step out into the hallway, and he was escorted down to the office at that point,” he added.
Detectives then escorted Thomas out of the building and to the sheriff’s office where Thomas met with his attorney, Fick said.
“He met with his attorney prior to any questioning,” he said.
Thomas appeared in Athens County Municipal Court at about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. He was arraigned on four preliminary counts of sexual battery, each being a third-degree felony, the news release said.
Additional charges might be filed at a later date, officials said.
Thomas was released on his own recognizance by sitting Athens County Municipal Court Judge Thomas Korn.
The investigation will be continuing into further allegations against Thomas for other related matters, the release said.
— Sam Howard contributed to this report.
