North Texas Coach Arrested For Online Solicitation Of A Minor
COLLIN COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) - A tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has led to the arrest of a North Texas youth gymnastics coach.
Detectives with the Plano Police Department and Collin County Sheriff's Office began investigating Lyndsey Ryan "Wes" Cox last week.
Cox, a resident of Hurst, has worked at several centers across North Texas as coach, providing private youth gymnastics lessons. Plano PD public information Officer David Tilley said, "They gave us the information that they had been contacted by a mother of a 14-year-old child that lives within our city."
The mother had contacted the NCMEC about an inappropriate Facebook message posted on her son's profile. The message was allegedly from 26-year-old Cox, who was the boy's former gymnastics coach.
An arrest warrant details suggestive messages allegedly sent by the coach including "When you turned 18, I would steal you away for forever," and "I want to lock you in my car." After the authorities were alerted about the messages, they assumed the boys identity and began corresponding with Cox.
According to a police affidavit, Cox asked for nude photos from the boy and made plans to meet the teen at a motel. Cox was arrested July 15 the La Quinta Hotel on North Central Expressway in Plano.
"We had a feeling he was going to act on some of the messages that were done and therefore we had to take immediate response," said Tilley.
Cox has several photos of himself online posing with children.
Police are still trying to identify which training centers the gymnastics coach worked at so they can investigate whether any students were abused.
"Could we be lucky enough that we got him on the first time? We hope that that's the case and we hope there are no more [victims] out there," Tilley said. "However, we have to always make sure and do a complete investigation and there's the potential there could be other victims."
Police suggest that parents, with children who had contact with Cox, sit down and talk with them. The children should be asked about any behavior that might have been inappropriate.
Tilley is urging, "If anybody has any information either contact their local law enforcement agency or they can call the Plano Police Department at 972-941-2580 with any information."
Cox is being held in the Collin County Jail on $100,000 bond.
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