Administrators and families with children taking part in the Wee Arrows athletic programs were stunned when Wee Arrows volunteer football coach, Timothy Kenneth Wright, 45, of New Carlisle, was arrested on Dec. 22 for charges related to child pornography.
Wright was sent to prison in 1996 for three years after being convicted of a similar offense involving a minor in nudity material.
Wright faces federal charges of both possessing and distributing material containing child pornography. According to Section 2256 of Title 18, of the United States Code, child pornography is “any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving anyone under the age of 18.”
Chad Hayes handles the Public Relations of the Wee Arrows Nation organization. Hayes expresses how the entire organization was “shocked” when they heard Wright was arrested.
“We just couldn’t believe it, you know what I mean? It’s just...well...you just don’t expect something like that to happen with someone you know...it’s terrible!”
Wright served as a volunteer coach for the Wee Arrows’ first through third grade team. He also served as Sergeant-at-Arms and member of the Wee Arrows Nation’s Board meetings.
The Wee Arrows’ Board released an official statement on its Facebook page regarding the situation:
“The organization was unaware of the former member’s prior history and record with the law. As a non-profit organization, we are not required by law to obtain background checks of our members or volunteers.
Due to the current situation, the organization has agreed to immediately mandate background checks in our bylaws in order to volunteer for the program. This will ensure from this point forward that we have the appropriate volunteers to achieve our mission within our organization. We hope that this revision reassures the safety of our participants and volunteers as a number one priority.”
According to Hayes, Wright was immediately expelled from the Wee Arrows Nation when the charges came to light. The group also went to work right away to ensure a similar incident would not happen again within the organization.
“The Wee Arrows are all about the kids and keeping them safe,” explains Hayes, “That is why we have decided to mandate background checks for everyone...period. We don’t have to do (the background checks), but we want to be an example for other groups so that maybe we can help keep something like this from happening again. We absolutely have to make the safety of our kids our number-one priority and will do everything in our power to make sure that happens.”
