A longtime Paxton high-school coach and former teacher is now sitting in the Ford County Jail after prosecutors charged him with trying to groom a minor, according to court records and local reporting. Paul L. Meuser, 72, faces two counts of attempted criminal sexual assault and one count of grooming and is being held ahead of further court proceedings. The Paxton-Buckley-Loda school board accepted Meuser’s resignation at its regular March 11 meeting, with the resignation listed as effective April 3. A detention hearing was scheduled for March 24.
Arrest and allegations
According to the Ford County Chronicle, charging documents allege Meuser groomed the alleged victim between January 2024 and Dec. 24, 2025, by trying to lure the child with snacks and money and by exchanging emails. The documents also contend he invited the child to his home on Christmas Eve 2025 with the intent to commit a sexual act. The complaint describes the victim as between 13 and 17 years old.
The Ford County Chronicle also reported that Meuser was arrested in Oklahoma on a Ford County warrant, briefly booked into an Oklahoma County jail, then transferred to the Ford County Jail ahead of the detention hearing.
District history and prior complaints
The Paxton-Buckley-Loda district has confronted related allegations before. In August 2025, WAND reported that a third civil lawsuit accused a PBL teacher and former coach of sexual misconduct and claimed district staff failed to act on earlier reports. That coverage noted the district declined to comment at the time.
Legal status and district response
Local reporting indicates Meuser had been placed on administrative leave while the criminal investigation moved forward, and the school board later accepted his resignation at its March 11 meeting, with an effective date of April 3.
The Ford County Chronicle reported that attorney Lance Cagle entered an appearance and pleaded not guilty on Meuser’s behalf in a March 16 court filing. According to that reporting, court records list sentencing ranges of probation up to seven years for each class 2 felony count and probation up to three years for the class 4 grooming count if he is convicted.
The same coverage notes Meuser’s lengthy coaching résumé, including more than 600 career wins and four state boys’ championships, a track record that helps explain the intense community focus on the case.
The case remains pending in Ford County Circuit Court, and readers seeking docket information or future hearing dates can consult the county courthouse. Contact details are available from the Ford County Courthouse and the Ford County Sheriff’s Office, which lists the county jail at 235 N. American St. in Paxton.
