MASSILLON, OH (WOIO) –
The basketball coach accused of hiding cameras and secretly recording boys in the Jackson High School locker room went before a judge Thursday morning.
Scott Studer’s bond was set at $2 million dollars.
For 25 years, Jackson Township parents trusted Coach Studer, but police say he abused that trust and victimized countless boys.
“At the basketball banquet every year he’d break down and cry about his commitment to these kids. Little did we know he was video taping them,” said Jon DuPont, concerned parent and Jackson Youth Basketball Association Commissioner.
The 46-year-old freshman basketball coach and high school Building Aide is accused of hiding a camera in the boys locker room and filming them in the shower, something parents say Studer mandated and participated in.
The Jackson Township Police Chief tells 19 Action News that 24 student athletes have been identified as having been videoed in the shower.
“These images to our knowledge at this point were not shared with others,” said Jackson Police Chief Dave Zink.
The chief, however, couldn’t explain why the United States Postal Service is involved. He said they only started investigating Wednesday morning, and it’s part of a bigger child porn case.
Jackson PD says the secret periodic recordings went on for eight years, but some wonder if it goes even deeper.
“He had parties at his house. He had sleepovers on numerous occasions,” said DuPont.
“You always think, there’s something not right here” said Deb Cahoon.
On top of already feeling violated and betrayed, Jackson parents and players are bothered that the information first came to them through the media and not from the school.
“I was upset we weren’t contacted by an administrator. My son is terribly upset. He’s on the ninth grade team now,” said parent Sylvera Greene.
Coach Studer has already resigned, and is facing eight state charges already. He’ll likely face federal charges. Now, the police department must sift through all the evidence gathered from his house to identify victims.
Article Courtesy of WOIO 19 Action News
