Former Bethel-Tate Girls Athletic Coach Used His Job to Commit Sex Crimes

BATAVIA – A former girls’ athletic coach at Bethel-Tate High School who was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Wednesday for sex crimes involving a college student used his job to spend “alone time” with her, prosecutors said.

Chad Willhoff – who has coached girls in soccer, basketball and track and field – would drive the girl to and from practices, games and fixtures, Assistant District Attorney Lara Baron said during her sentencing in plea court common county of Clermont.

While transporting the girl, Baron said, Willhoff took the opportunity “to engage in sexual activity” with her.

Previous report: Other sex charges filed against former Bethel-Tate High School coach

Willhoff, 42, of Union Township, was a youth leader and deacon at the girls’ church, Landmark Baptist Church. He also used his position there to get close to her, according to accounts.

The sexual abuse began in 2002, when the girl was 12, and continued until 2007, when she was 16, prosecutors said.

At the time, Willhoff was married to someone who is related to the girl.

The guest judge handling the case, Alan Corbin, said there were around 500 sexual encounters between Willhoff and the girl.

The girl’s father told Corbin during the sentencing: “My family has been destroyed…because of his actions.

Willhoff resigned from Bethel-Tate in February 2007, saying he intended to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

He was not charged until 2020, after the victim in the case, who is now 31, turned himself in to law enforcement and a grand jury indicted him.

Previous report: Former Bethel-Tate coach faces new sex charges, including rape

After this indictment, two other alleged victims came forward. One was a boy in the 1990s and was Willhoff’s neighbor. The second was another girl Willhoff coached at Bethel-Tate High School in the mid-2000s.

Charges are still pending in both cases.

Last month, a jury found Willhoff guilty of 10 counts, including sexual assault and unlawful intercourse with a minor.

The story continues

Baron, the prosecutor, pointed out that in a pre-sentence report, Willhoff described his actions involving the girl as “a case.”

Baron said it showed he had yet to accept responsibility “for the harm he caused the victim in this case”.

When given the chance to make a statement, Willhoff apologized to the victim as well as his wife and two children, now ages 6 and 9. His wife is in the process of divorcing, according to relatives.

Previous report: Former Bethel-Tate athletic trainer charged and arrested for sex with minor charges

“It was my fault, alone, and no one else’s,” he said. “I hope the people I hurt will forgive me one day. I’m far from the person I was then.”

After the other two cases are resolved, prosecutors said they intend to have Willhoff classified as a sexual predator. He would then be subject, for the rest of his life, to the same conditions as a registered sex offender.

This article originally appeared on the Cincinnati Enquirer: Former Bethel-Tate coach Chad Willhoff convicted of sex crimes