BROWNSTOWN – A Jackson Circuit Court jury failed to reach a verdict in the trial of former Crothersville boys basketball head coach and athletic director Gregory Kilgore.
According to Jackson County Prosecutor Jeff Chalfant, there will most likely be a retrial. He did add a plea agreement is possible depending on negotiations between the prosecution and defense.
A pretrial conference is scheduled for May 20th at 9:30 a.m.
Kilgore, 53, was arrested on March 25, 2020, on a Level 5 felony charge of child solicitation. He was released on a $1,000 bond on April 2, 2020.
After the allegations, Kilgore was suspended by Crothersville Community School Corp. On April 3, 2020, he submitted his resignation as athletic director, junior-senior high school aide, golf coach, and retired as the boys’ basketball coach.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department began investigating the allegation on March 18, 2020, when the department received a report from the Jackson County Department of Child Services about possible inappropriate messages being sent through social media from Kilgore to a 14-year-old female student.
During the course of the investigation, police learned Kilgore sent several inappropriate messages to the girl.
The content of the messages included emojis and messages that stated “either I’m too old or you’re too young” and that he’s “an old pervert hitting on the hot young chick.”
One message said “please don’t tell anyone I talked to you” and another said “teach me your ways.”
Police also found inappropriate messages sent to Kilgore from the girl. She told police she was “just kidding.”
Police say Kilgore deleted messages he sent to the victim, but police were able to recover them.
Kilgore’s attorney, Mark Dove, of North Vernon, says Kilgore’s actions were mischaracterized and taken out of context. He added they were inappropriate but Kilgore did nothing illegal and Kilgore did not solicit sex.
According to Indiana State Code defines child solicitation – A person eighteen (18) years of age or older who knowingly or intentionally solicits a child under fourteen (14) years of age, or an individual the person believes to be a child under fourteen (14) years of age, to engage in sexual intercourse, other sexual conduct (as defined in IC 35-31.5-2-221.5), or any fondling or touching intended to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of either the child or the older person, commits child solicitation, a Level 5 felony. (1) commits the offense by using a computer network (as defined in IC 35-43-2-3(a)) and travels to meet the child or individual the person believes to be a child…
