A longtime volleyball coach at South Central High School in Union Mills is facing 26 counts of Level 4 felony child exploitation after Indiana investigators say a two-month probe tied him to suspected child sexual abuse material. Paul Fasshauer, 46, was arrested on October 6 and has since been barred from district property while the case moves forward.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received a CyberTip from Snapchat concerning suspected child sexual abuse material in May, according to wkvi.com. That tip was forwarded to the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and La Porte County Sheriff's Office ICAC detectives were assigned to the case in July and began a two-month investigation that ultimately identified Fasshauer as the person associated with the reported activity.
On October 6, deputies assigned to the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force located and arrested Fasshauer, per the same account. Detectives with the La Porte County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division then executed a search warrant at his nearby residence. The U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Indiana State Police, and Michigan City Police Department all assisted in the investigation, the report notes.
Coach Faces 26 Level 4 Felony Counts
Fasshauer faces 26 counts of child exploitation, all Level 4 felonies, according to the same wkvi.com report. CBS News Chicago confirms that Fasshauer, 46, is charged with 26 counts of child exploitation and identifies him as the varsity girls' volleyball coach at South Central High School. As reported by The Times, Fasshauer had coached both the boys and girls volleyball programs at the school before his arrest.
South Central Schools has placed Fasshauer on unpaid administrative leave and formally barred him from district property, CBS News Chicago reports. The district named Ashley Rinker as interim head coach for the varsity volleyball team, a move announced as the school works to keep its programs running amid the fallout.
Investigation Developed Over Months Before Arrest
La Porte County Sheriff's Office detectives developed the evidence in the case over the course of the summer, following the CyberTip's referral to the state task force. Authorities emphasize that the charges remain accusations at this stage; as wkvi.com states, every person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
South Central's volleyball programs had been drawing local attention this season, with the boys' team extending a winning streak to ten games during the spring, according to MaxPreps. The district has not detailed how either program will adjust long-term beyond naming an interim coach for varsity volleyball.
No court docket, bond information, or hearing date has been made public, and officials have not detailed the specific conduct underlying each of the 26 counts beyond the reported ties to suspected child sexual abuse material. Hoodline will update this story as more information becomes available.
