Fired coach who worked with BGHS teams indicted for sex-related crimes

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A former strength and conditioning coach who worked at Bowling Green High School has been indicted on sex-related charges involving a minor.

Zachary Gibson, of Bowling Green, was never employed directly by the school district. He was let go on April 4 by Fastrak Performance after the company was notified of unspecified allegations.

He was indicted on Wednesday by a Wood County grand jury for two counts of sexual battery, both third-degree felonies; two counts of illegal use of minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance, both fifth-degree felonies; and attempted illegal use of minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance, also a fifth-degree felony.

According to the indictment, Gibson allegedly engaged in sexual conduct with the same 16-year-old while he was a coach “or otherwise in a position of temporary or occasional disciplinary control over the boy.”

Gibson, who is 30, is also accused of possessing or viewing material or performance that shows a minor in a state of nudity.

The offenses reportedly occurred on or about March 1-April 30.

A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Gibson, who was found guilty 12 years ago of a misdemeanor sex offense, was an independent contractor hired to fill the BGHS position.

As an independent contractor, Bowling Green schools paid Fastrak Performance, located in Perrysburg, who then paid Gibson.

District administrators said that they do not conduct background checks on third-party contractors such as those hired through Fastrak.

Gibson worked with the baseball and basketball teams at BGHS.

He was sentenced in November 2010 in Hardin County Municipal Court for disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a misdemeanor offense, according to the Ada Herald.

He had been arrested in a park restroom after village police were alerted to text messages Gibson, who was 18 at the time, had sent a 14-year-old boy.

His sentence included one year of community control and sexual offender counseling. He was to have no contact with the victim or the victim’s family, was not to appear at any Ada High School events, was to stay out of the Ada park during his probation period and have no contact with any minors without adult supervision.

Those terms expired in November 2011.

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