Nelson track coach charged with soliciting sex from a juvenile

A track coach at Nelson County High School who resigned Monday was charged Tuesday with felony computer solicitation of a juvenile, school and law enforcement officials said.

Nelson County Schools Superintendent Roger Collins said the juvenile is a student at the high school.

Richard Seely Noles, 22, of Charlottesville, was arrested Tuesday afternoon and released on a $2,500 unsecured bond. Noles, who has been at the school since August, teaches alternative education and coaches boys and girls indoor and outdoor track and cross country.

The school sent home a letter with track athletes on Monday, Collins said, notifying parents that Noles had resigned effective immediately for personal reasons and that an interim coach would be appointed to finish the season.

In a statement to the media Tuesday, Collins said, “We have high standards for our employees and unacceptable conduct will not be tolerated. It is unfortunate that isolated incidents like this reflect negatively on our dedicated staff.”

The investigation began after the victim’s father complained about Noles to authorities, said Lt. Robbie Brooks with the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office. An arrest warrant issued Tuesday for Noles did not specify how Noles allegedly solicited the student. The warrant states that the offense occurred last Thursday and accuses Noles of soliciting a child at least 15 years old but under 18 for sex.

Noles is the second track coach at Nelson County High School to be arrested on a charge of soliciting sex. A former Nelson County Middle School librarian who also was a track coach at the high school pleaded guilty in April to soliciting sex from a minor via the Internet.

Tim Bennett, then 35, was arrested at his Amherst home in September 2007. Authorities said Bennett contacted a Fairfax County police detective who was posing online as a 13-year-old girl.

Bennett had coached cross country at the high school for seven years. He also was a coach with the school’s indoor and outdoor track and field programs.

Noles is scheduled to appear in Nelson County Juvenile and Domestic Relations court on March 12.

Marshall is managing editor and McGrath is a staff writer for the Nelson County Times. Staff writer Laura Clark contributed.