Ex-coach accused of sexual assault

A woman filed a complaint against former Van Buren head football coach and middle school teacher Christopher Henry with the Defiance County Sheriff's Office in January, alleging Henry sexually assaulted her when she was 16, in May 2011. A sheriff's report states that Henry, 33 at the time, engaged in sexual activities with the victim after providing her alcohol. The investigation has been turned over to the Defiance County prosecutor, said Chief Deputy and Detective Cliff Vandemark. He confirmed the sheriff's office is requesting that Henry be charged with one count of rape and one count of sexual battery. Rape is a first-degree felony. Sexual battery charges are used in prosecutions in which suspects coerce their victims, are an authority figure to the victim, or impair a victim's conduct and mental capacity to consent to sexual acts. The statue of limitations to report a rape or sexual assault is 20 years in Ohio. Prosecutors have the jurisdiction to drop, add or change charges when presenting evidence to a grand jury. Henry has not been arrested or taken into custody by the Defiance County Sheriff's Office. Rape is a first-degree felony. Sexual battery charges are used in prosecutions in which suspects coerce their victims, are an authority figure to the victim, or impair a victim's conduct and mental capacity to consent to sexual acts. The statue of limitations to report a rape or sexual assault is 20 years in Ohio. "This is about protecting our (victims)," said Vandemark. "(What) I'm worried about is the victims and those who haven't come forward yet." Defiance County Prosecutor Morris Murray said "(the investigation is) pending presentation to a grand jury." He also said prosecutors are awaiting some additional information and some follow-up with the investigation, but he declined to provide specific information about what items are still outstanding. The Van Buren School Board accepted Henry's resignation agreement on March 7 during a special meeting. Superintendent Jason Inkrott first notified the community of an ongoing criminal investigation of a district teacher on Feb. 20, in a district-wide email obtained by The Courier. Inkrott wrote in the email he and the administration "have no indication that (the investigation) is related to their job as a teacher or any extracurricular positions held in the district." He also wrote there was no reason to believe the investigation involved any other current or former Van Buren student or staff member. Inkrott later did confirm that the teacher mentioned in the emails is Henry. Henry's resignation takes effect March 31. He "will remain on administrative leave and will continue to work remotely to support our district on assignments such as lesson planning," Inkrott wrote in his district-wide email. Henry was an eighth-grade social studies teacher at Van Buren Middle School and was promoted to head coach of the high school football team in last year. He had previously been an assistant football coach for 15 years.