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Last updated on Thursday, August 16, 2012
(MARTINSVILLE) - Two former Martinsville High School coaches won’t serve time in prison after each pleaded guilty to three counts of child seduction.
Former Martinsville High School basketball coach Tim Wolf, 65, and suspended Martinsville High School tennis coach Jeff McGown, 38, who also taught second grade, were each sentenced to nine years Wednesday, but the judge suspended the sentences, allowing them to serve time on probation.
The men were charged in connection with separate sexual encounters with a former 17-year-old female student, state police said.
Wolf and McGown have been ordered to turn in their teaching licenses. They both must register as sex offenders and cannot live within 1,000 feet of a school.
Wolf was arrested in February on charges of public indecency after police said they found him "in a state of nudity" with the 17-year-old in a parked car at an Indianapolis playground.
Both men served one day in jail, which upset some Martinsville parents.
"I would have liked to see them get more jail time. To me, it's just a slap on the wrist. Even though it's nine years (of probation), I think an ordinary person would have done more jail time in this case," parent Larry Balsley said.
"It hurts me that somebody that our kids are supposed to be able to look up to would do something like that," parent Angela Balsley said.
Johnson County Deputy Prosecutor Doug Cummins said the sentenced are actually tougher than expected.
"It's kind of common for first time D felony offenders not to get jail time. These cases were pretty normal in that they didn't go to jail. It's unusual for them to get a maximum sentence which is three years," Cummins said.
Morgan County authorities said the 17-year-old victim in the cast was given a chance to make a statement, but she turned it down.
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