June 06--A club volleyball coach at John F. Kennedy High School sexually assaulted a 14-year-old female player while driving her home from practice, Cook County prosecutors said Friday.
Tomas Angeles, 27, was arrested after one of the girl's teammates, who was using the coach's cellphone during practice, saw sexually explicit Snapchat messages Angeles had exchanged with the girl, Assistant State's Attorney Kim Przekota said.
The girl's teammates told their parents, the school's principal was notified and Chicago police were then called, Przekota said. She said a search warrant revealed the explicit Snapchat messages Angeles had sent the girl in which he referred to the sexual activity.
Angeles coaches a USA Volleyball club team that practiced at the Southwest Side school, where the girl is a student, Przekota said.
The Cicero resident and Morton East High School graduate works as a copy machine repairman and has coached volleyball for the past eight years, his attorney said.
The alleged sexual assaults took place from about April 1 through May 11, Przekota said. Angeles would give the girl and several other players rides home after practice, dropping off the victim last so the two were alone together, the prosecutor said.
The coach sexually assaulted the girl at least three times while they were in his car, Przekota said. The victim told a friend at school about it but asked her not to tell anyone else, Przekota said.
sschmadeke@tribpub.com
