CHESTER COUNTY, Pa - A Chester County man is facing charges after authorities say he sexually abused three young girls while working as their basketball coach and trainer
The Chester County District Attorney’s Office announced the arrest of Zachary Ray, 31, of Wynnewood, PA, on Tuesday.
Authorities say Ray abused three girls - who ranged in age from 10-16 - from 2014-2023 and assaulted them at schools, parks and their homes.
Ray was arrested on Monday, September 25 by Chester County detectives, and he was charged with aggravated indecent assault, child pornography, indecent assault, unlawful contact with minors, corruption of minors, and related offenses.
The defendant posted bail after he was remanded to Chester County prison and is currently awaiting trial in Philadelphia where he is facing similar charges.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled on Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
"The defendant preyed on the innocence of these child victims. These kids and their families trusted him as a coach, a guide, and an instructor so they could grow as athletes, but instead, he violated them and altered the course of their lives with this horrible betrayal. Law enforcement believes there may be more victims still unidentified," Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan said in a statement.
On August 21, 2023, Chester County Detectives say they received information that Ray had sexually abused multiple female juvenile victims while acting as their privately retained basketball coach and trainer during sessions at different locations in and around Chester County from 2014-2023.
According to the DA’s office, the child victims described that the defendant would remove their clothing for a "core check" or touch them inappropriately while stretching them. They also say he would use his cell phone to take pictures and videos of them.
On May 1, 2023, Chester County Detectives learned a report of possible child sexual abuse was forwarded to the Philadelphia Special Victims Unit from the PA Childline regarding a child victim in that county.
They say the inappropriate touching of the first child victim began at parks when she was between the ages of 10-11 years old.
The first victim and her family were at basketball tryouts when Ray was first introduced to them as a coach. He became the child’s coach or trainer from 2019-2023. In 2021, the family hired Ray for private basketball training and the victim disclosed that he would touch her inappropriately under her clothing on her bare chest and private parts from the ages of 14 through 15-years-old. Also, disclosing to detectives that Ray had taken videos of him rubbing her private areas.
The Philadelphia investigation led to the search of his cell phone in May 2023. Upon the search, several photographs exposing multiple female juveniles’ bare chests and exposed privates were recovered.
In October 2019, the second child victim started interviewing with detectives, and they say she stated Ray was her personal trainer who touched her body approximately fifteen times during training sessions. She stated that the contact occurred from fall 2018 through fall 2019, while the victim was between 13-14 years old. The victim recalled that as she would stretch, the defendant would touch her stomach, hips, buttocks and lift her pants and underwear to look down her pants. She said this abuse occurred at East Goshen Park and three times at her home. Detectives say the second victim disclosed that in September or October 2019, Ray picked her up and touched her inappropriately by rubbing her body and private parts, and he pulled down her clothes while at their basketball practice. Similar to the first child victim, she also told detectives Ray had his phone out and could have taken a photo of her while she was exposed during the incident.
The third child victim said that Ray placed his hands under her basketball shorts and rubbed her hip and groin multiple times during each training session in the weight room at her school. She reported the abuse occurred at least four times before she told her mother.
The Chester County Detectives, Philadelphia Detectives, Schuylkill Township Police and Radnor Township Police Department are investigating this case.