A Lenawee County judge has handed a former youth soccer coach a decades-long prison term for sexually abusing a player he first met as a preteen, capping a case that has shaken the Adrian soccer community. Andrew Olnhausen, 39, was sentenced Friday after a jury convicted him last July on multiple felony counts tied to an abusive relationship that began when the victim was 12. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life and remain under lifetime electronic monitoring.
Convictions and sentence
According to a press release from the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, Judge Michael Olsaver of the 39th Circuit Court sentenced Olnhausen to a minimum of 22 years and 2 months, up to a maximum of 60 years in prison. A Lenawee County jury had found him guilty of four counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of children-accosting for immoral purpose, five counts of possessing child sexually abusive material, and additional counts for using a computer to commit a crime, distributing sexual material to a minor, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Investigation and evidence
The case grew out of an Adrian Police Department investigation that included searches of Olnhausen’s cellphone and social media accounts. Reporting from the time says investigators found dozens of nude images and other material tying him to the victim, discoveries that formed the basis of charges filed in October 2022 and later presented to jurors at trial, according to WNEM.
Judge's remarks at sentencing
At sentencing, the judge made it clear he believed the legal guidelines fell short of capturing the scope of the harm. He told the court that the standard guidelines "don't adequately reflect the damage" done to the victim and added, "If the law would have allowed me to give a longer sentence, I would have," according to WTOL. Coverage of the hearing also notes that Olsaver ordered some of the convictions to run consecutively and others concurrently, a structure that lengthens the effective minimum time before Olnhausen can seek release.
Lenawee Christian Ministries' response
Lenawee Christian Ministries, which ran the local Fellowship of Christian Athletes soccer program, said Olnhausen has not worked for the ministry since serving as director of its competitive youth soccer program from 2014 to 2017 and that he passed background checks while employed, according to reporting from The Daily Telegram. The ministry said it is cooperating with law enforcement and has offered counseling to students and families affected by the case.
Victim impact and local resources
Prosecutors at the hearing stressed the long-term impact on the survivor, and court coverage reports that the victim sought treatment and at times struggled with suicidal thoughts during the investigation and trial, according to WTOL. For those seeking help, local reporting notes that the Michigan Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24/7 at 855-864-2374, per ClickOnDetroit.
