Youth soccer coach Jason Stimson from New Hartford, Connecticut, was arrested on August 22 for sending inappropriate messages to the teens.
Jason Stimson, age 51, now faces two felony counts of risk of injury to a minor and two counts of harmful communications to a minor.
Stimson was a coach with the Highlander Soccer Club, which draws players from Barkhamsted, Colebrook, Hartland, Winsted, Norfolk, and New Hartford.
As per his mother’s police statement, Stimson stopped coaching in June to seek treatment for “alcohol dependency and depression”.
Therefore, Stimson appears to be communicating with his teenage players before June, a fact later confirmed by the teens’ parents in the report.
Youth Soccer Coach Jason Stimson Faces Arrest for Inappropriate Communication with Teen Players
According to authorities, Stimson used Snapchat to send inappropriate and sexually suggestive messages to two 14-year-old girls.
Court documents reveal that he also shared images, and the tone of the messages suggested behavior that was far from the usual tone between a coach and players.
The allegation does not stop in the text and images, as per the reports, Stimson engaged in physical contact that crossed professional boundaries.
During his coaching period, he used to touch the teens inappropriately, making them feel uncomfortable, which was also revealed by the parents.
Things not only stopped with the teens, as per the reports, Stimson also messaged one of the teens’ mothers, where he shared an image of himself lying in bed half-clothed in front of the teen.
While sending NSFW images to the teen, he even apologized later, which was later tracked by the police reports. In one of the messages he wrote;
“I care for you so I don’t want you to think of me as a loser, I really think you’re amazing and important to me. I loved being your friend on snap. I loved when you snapped me.”
Therefore, with all this evidence against the coach, the police issued an arrest warrant on August 22.
After his arrest, Stimson is set to be released on a $10,000 bond. However, before that, he is set to appear in Torrington Superior Court, where the case will proceed.
If convicted, he could face serious legal consequences, as the charges involve felony-level offenses designed to protect children from exploitation and harm.
This news has been shared with parents in New Hartford and nearby towns, where Stimson was well-known in local sports.
He had been involved with the Highlander Soccer Club and was also active in coaching basketball for the school district.
Many families trusted him with their children, which makes the accusations especially painful for the community.
Moreover, the organizations he was affiliated with have since made it clear that he is barred from returning to any coaching role while the legal case is ongoing.
For many in New Hartford, this case is not only about one man’s actions but also about the trust parents place in coaches and mentors.
As of now, Jason Stimson remains out on bond, awaiting his next court appearance, while the community comes to terms with the serious allegations that have shaken its sense of security.
