Former Mesa coach accused of sexual contact with underage female players
May 17, 2019, 7:30 PM | Updated: May 20, 2019, 8:04 am
(MCSO Photo)
(MCSO Photo)
PHOENIX — Mesa police on Thursday arrested an ex-junior varsity basketball coach for allegedly having sexual contact with underage female players on his team when he worked at Dobson High School.
Kyler Ashley, 23, faces multiple counts of sexual conduct with a minor and sexual abuse for alleged interactions with two 17-year-old girls, including intercourse with one.
He was also charged with luring and attempted sexual conduct with a 16-year-old girl.
“Any time a staff member or student notices any inappropriate behavior between a staff member and a student, they really do need to report it,” Jason Flam, a spokesman with the Mesa Police Department, told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Friday.
Ashley was arrested while attempting to meet up for a sexual encounter with a 16-year-old female player he’d been communicating with on social media since September 2018.
Mesa Public Schools said in a statement that Ashley was a seasonal basketball coach and did not teach or work in any other capacity for the district.
The school district added that Ashley passed a background check when he was hired in 2016 and received extensive training from the district and Arizona Interscholastic Association on the responsibilities of a coach.
The district said Ashley has completed his contractual agreement with the district and will not return.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Taylor Kinnerup contributed to this report.
