Former Riverview Schools, Indian Valley, AAU basketball coach, ref indicted on child porn charges

CLEVELAND - A former Tuscarawas County basketball coach and referee is facing multiple child pornography charges.

Thomas E. Wright, 32, was arrested on a secret indictment at a home in Gnadenhutten last week.

Wright previously coached basketball for Riverview Schools, Indian Valley Schools, and AAU basketball teams. He also occasionally refereed games. Even after the execution of the search warrant and interview, Wright continued to coach and have close contact with young males, police said.

An investigation began in February 2011, after a Bethesda Police Department sexual predator investigator noticed a computer on a peer-to-peer program was actively downloading and sharing known child porn images and videos.

In late June of the same year, the IP address associated with the computer hosting and sharing was linked to Wright.

A warrant was then issued and Wright was questioned. During the July 15, 2011 interview, police said Wright denied any knowledge or association with the graphic images and videos.

Later, authorities found a homemade video of a then 16-year-old on Wright's computer. Soon after the discovery, Wright confessed to FBI agents that he was the person responsible for searching and downloading the child pornography on his laptop and that he did make the video of the teen.

Wright is facing six counts, all relating to child porn. Wright is behind bars at the Tuscarawas County Jail until his arraignment.