Tennis coach charged, accused of showing minor explicit photos while at lessons in Cherry Hill
South Jersey tennis coach charged, accused of harassing young girl at lessons
60-year-old tennis coach Ovidiu V. Dragos of Moorestown, NJ is facing charges after officials say he is accused of showing explicit photos and more inappropriate behavior to a 15-year-old girl he was coaching in Cherry Hill.
CHERRY HILL, N.j. - A 60-year-old tennis coach from Burlington County has been charged after police say he showed explicit photos of himself to a minor he was coaching.
Camden County officials say Ovidiu V. Dragos, 60, of Moorestown was charged with one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, one count of third-degree promoting obscene material to persons under 18-years-old, one count of fourth-degree stalking and one count of harassment.
Upon investigating, detectives learned that Dragos showed a naked picture of himself to a 15-year-old girl on his cell phone on two different occasions while attending group tennis lessons at the Cherry Hill Health and Racquet Club.
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They say Dragos placed a number of letters, cards, poems, and gifts in the victim’s tennis bag over a two-year period while he provided private and group tennis lessons to the child at outdoor courts in Cinnaminson, Moorestown and Cherry Hill.
Moorestown Public Safety Director Patrick Reilly said the victim was fifteen when her parents came to them to report what was happening after she confided in them.
"One of the subjects and victims was a Moorestown resident that he was doing coaching lessons with her over several years and had inappropriate interactions with her showing naked pictures of himself, inappropriate touching. So there was multiple allegations," said Reilly.
According to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office, Dragos was arrested in Moorestown on Monday by U.S. Marshals’ Camden Division. He was placed in Camden County Correctional Facility where he awaits a pretrial detention hearing.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is urged to contact Detective Kristen Blantz of Camden County Prosecutor's Office Special Victims Unit at (856) 225-8642.