Oregon high school football coach charged with sex abuse of minor as video shows him in 'intimate act' with student
SALEM, OREGON: A high school football coach was arrested and charged with sex abuse and related charges as a video emerged on Instagram allegedly showing the suspect engaging in a sex act with a student.
Nicholas Federico, 38, from Salem, who is a physical education teacher and the head football coach, was charged with second-degree sex abuse, second-degree online sexual corruption of a child, and first-degree official misconduct, after he was arrested at Woodburn High School in Woodburn, Oregon, on October 28.
He was released from jail on the same day after he posted 10 percent of his $70,000 bail, Daily Mail reported.
The Woodburn Police Department started an investigation into Federico after they received a tip in July about a video circulating on Instagram that allegedly showed a Woodburn High School teacher engaged in "an intimate act" with a student, the Marion County Sheriff's Office said.
A three-month investigation followed, during which the teacher was identified and tracked. It was found that Federico was messaging at least one student from the school where he taught, using Snapchat. The exchanges between him and the minor led to "an intimate relationship" between the two, according to the sheriff's office.
Ever since the allegations against him surfaced, Federico has been placed on paid administrative leave. He has worked for the Woodburn School District since 2011.
"The district understands that the school community will experience a range of emotions and will provide available resources to support our students, staff, and families", a district spokesperson said in a statement.
Federico's social media posts in the past suggest that until a few years ago, he had a wife and two young children. It was immediately unclear if he was still married. Federico's arraignment was initially set for October 29. It was later scheduled for November 25.