By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
A strength and conditioning coach working with Bowling Green High School athletes is being investigated after an allegation was made of inappropriate conduct with a student.
Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn said his office’s detectives are investigating the complaint and have subpoenaed phone records of the coach, Zachary Gibson.
“We’re investigating to see if that is legitimate,” Wasylyshyn said of the complaint that was first filed with Bowling Green Police Division, then shifted to the Wood County Sheriff’s Office after discussions with the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office.
Gibson worked as an independent contractor with Fastrak Performance, in Perrysburg, which area schools contract with for coaching staff.
Twelve years ago, when Gibson was 18 years old, he pleaded guilty to disseminating matter harmful to juveniles.
Bowling Green parents are now asking how a person with that background was allowed to work with their athletes.
A meeting was held with parents of students participating in the Bowling Green boys basketball and baseball programs on April 8. Parents were reportedly told of the current complaint and of Gibson’s past record. Media was not made aware of the meeting.
Fastrak has reported that Gibson was dismissed by the company when concerns were raised about the new allegation. The company reportedly did not conduct background checks on independent contractors and was unaware of his history.
Bowling Green Board of Education President Jill Carr said Sunday evening that district officials were also not aware of Gibson’s background.
“To my knowledge, none of my board colleagues were either,” she said.
Carr said she was startled to learn that Fastrak didn’t perform background checks.
“In this day and age,” that is astounding, she said.
Carr said she is not aware of Fastrak’s status with the district, but added, “Now that we know (background checks are not performed), that relationship should be severed.”
Gibson was reportedly never employed directly by Bowling Green City School District.
The district requires volunteers in many roles to have background checks, Carr said, but district administrators said they do not conduct background checks on third-party contractors such as those hired through Fastrak.
“He has never been an employee of the district. He has never been a volunteer,” Carr said of Gibson.
“None of us would ever tolerate this kind of behavior,” she said.
According to the Ada Herald newspaper, Gibson was arrested in 2010 in the village of Ada, after police received a call about Gibson reportedly texting a juvenile with comments related to sex. Gibson was 18, and the boy he reportedly sent the inappropriate texts to was 14.
The Ada Herald reported he was originally charged with attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, possession of criminal tools and criminal trespass. All charges were misdemeanor offenses. Gibson pled not guilty and then changed his plea to guilty to an amended charge of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. The other two charges were dismissed in the plea negotiations.
A Hardin County Municipal Court judge sentenced Gibson to 180 days in jail and he was ordered to serve 100 hours of community service.
Gibson was also sentenced to one year of supervised probation with the conditions that he undergo sexual offender counseling and follow all recommendations, have no contact with the victim or the victim’s family, not appear at any Ada High School events, stay out of the Ada park during his probation period. and have no contact with any minors without adult supervision.
Those terms of probation expired in 2011.
