A former Mt. Hood Community College coach from Portland was handed down a federal prison sentence for engaging in sexually explicit conversations with a minor, following an investigation that highlighted the darker side of trust placed in athletic mentors. Nathan Ezell Bowie, 38, the former head men’s basketball coach at Mt. Hood Community College, will serve 162 months in prison accompanied by 20 years’ supervised release as pronounced by the court after being convicted of sexual enticement of a minor, according to the Department of Justice.

Holding his position at the college, Bowie was involved in coaching activities at an Oregon high school basketball camp in November 2021 where he encouraged students to connect with him digitally, a seemingly innocent gesture that would later spiral into a series of criminal acts; it emerged during trial proceedings that a minor, seeking basketball drills from Bowie had been coerced into sending inappropriate images, this coercion persisted until another coach, upon discovering the disturbing correspondence in January 2022, brought it to the attention of law enforcement agencies, prompting an immediate intervention.

Charges were promptly filed on March 15, 2022, registering the grave nature of Bowie’s offenses which included sexual exploitation of a child, coercion and enticement, and receipt of child pornography; Bowie later recognized the inevitability of his legal predicament and entered a guilty plea for coercion and enticement of a minor on May 15, 2024.

The pursuit of justice saw a collaborative effort from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and FBI Portland’s Eugene Resident Agency, with the Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, Jeffrey S. Sweet leading the prosecution, and while the close of this case brings consequences for the perpetrator, the FBI continues to encourage the public to stay vigilant and proactive by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) for any information pertaining to the exploitation of children.

Editor's Note: The title was edited to clarify that it is a Portland-area community college, as opposed to Portland Community College. The institution name was also added earlier in the article.