Felony charge against former coach removed
CHICORA — The more serious charge has been withdrawn against a former volunteer softball coach at Karns City High School accused of sending sexually explicit photographs to a 17-year-old girl last year.
Nathan C. Ridley, 39, of Donegal Township appeared Tuesday before District Judge Lewis Stoughton in Chicora. He was there with his attorney, Al Lindsay, for a preliminary hearing.
Instead, he gave up his right to the hearing after prosecutor Russ Karl, a Butler County assistant district attorney, withdrew a felony count of dissemination of explicit sexual material to a minor.
In exchange, Ridley waived to court a misdemeanor count of corruption of minors.
“There was no evidence,” Karl said following the proceedings, to proceed with the top count.
State police said they began their investigation Oct. 31 when they learned of the allegations against Ridley.
The accuser told investigators that she first met the defendant in early 2018 while she was playing softball at Karns City High School.
Last June, according to court documents, the girl recounted spending the night at Ridley's home. Afterward, she claimed, he began sending her comments of a sexual nature via Snapchat and Facebook Messenger.
She also accused him of sending two photos — one of two females in underwear and another of two naked females making out, authorities said.
Police on Dec. 3 interviewed Ridley. They said he acknowledged he “may have” sent the girl one of the messages she described to investigators.
Ridley told police he was “just being a pervert,” the affidavit said, when they asked him why he allegedly sent the message.
He claimed that the only photo he could recall sending the victim, police said, was a “meme,” which is an image that includes text and is used to convey a message.
His characterization of the meme, the affidavit said, was of two girls embracing while dressed in underwear.
He denied, however, sending any photo of naked females.
Karl said Tuesday the investigating trooper advised him that police did not have the alleged naked photo. The prosecutor said it apparently had been deleted from the girl's phone.
When the trooper “went to retrieve or get this alleged picture,” Karl said, “there was no picture.”
Lindsay called the corruption of minors charge a “lesser-included offense,” meaning it was a crime with elements encompassed by a more serious crime.
“The prosecutors have the discretion to grade it,” he said, “and in this particular case the prosecutor was willing to drop this down to a misdemeanor, and we're relieved.”
Ridley remains free on $50,000 unsecured bail. His next scheduled court date is his formal arraignment March 19.
Karns City School District officials previously said Ridley's volunteer status began March 12, 2018, but they did not indicate when his position was terminated.
