A Pennsylvania parent is speaking out on Facebook after alleging that a local youth football coach sent inappropriate Snapchat messages to his 16-year-old daughter and that police and school officials failed to take meaningful action.
In a lengthy Facebook post shared by Scott Houghtalen and later circulated on Channel 5 Ratchet News, Houghtalen claims that on January 15, 2023, his teenage daughter confided in him that her cousin, Jimmy Heikle, a 32-year-old youth football coach, had sent her disturbing messages via Snapchat.
He says he reported the incident to the Carroll Township Police Department in York County, where he initially spoke with Officer Matt Shepley.
However, after about a week, Houghtalen was informed that both Shepley and Sergeant Schreiner were recusing themselves from the investigation due to what was called a “conflict of interest,” as both reportedly knew Heikle through local coaching circles.
The case was then reassigned to a rookie officer, Officer Jaquith, who interviewed Heikle but ultimately decided not to file charges.
Frustrated, Houghtalen says he protested the decision to both the police chief and the York County District Attorney’s Office, which then assigned a county detective to take over the case.
According to him, covert phone calls were planned as part of the investigation, but he never heard back from the authorities.
Houghtalen wrote, “It sickens me that this person is allowed to be around children.”
The post also included allegations that the coach had cropped one of the teen’s photos, originally a full-body shot in a homecoming dress, to focus on her chest, then asked if it was her. Houghtalen claimed,
“He cropped it to center on her chest,” “It was a whole picture of her that he chose to edit.”
Scott Houghtalen
In the same post, Houghtalen’s daughter, Kaylee Houghtalen, now 19, commented to express gratitude for her father’s support. She wrote,
“I appreciate you sticking up for me, Dad. Times were rough back then. I love you. I hate how much this was swept under the rug,”
Kayla Houghtalen
She went on to explain that at the time of the incident, she was in shock and had a friend respond on her behalf to “see how far he’d go” before she told her father. She emphasized,
“I was 100% NOT interested in sending my cousin a picture of my breasts,” “It’s sad that I even have to explain that.”
Kayla Houghtalen
The post drew widespread reactions from Facebook users, many of whom expressed outrage at both the alleged behavior and the apparent lack of accountability. Ebony Stubbs wrote,
He’s a creep! He shouldn’t be coaching!
Ebony Stubbs
Kayla Baby added,
Thank you for speaking up for your daughter ! She is only 16. It doesn’t matter what she responded back. He is a grown ass man. He needs to be charged. !!! And the fact that they are cousins makes it even more disgusting , keep that man away from kids!
Kayla Baby
Another commenter, Mike Krone, questioned the police’s handling of the case:
Its not a conflict of interest for them to investigate an acquaintance of theirs. Its a conflict of interest for them to investigate someone with similar interests as them. Think about why they didn’t want to investigate…. This is such bullshit. Take it to the local news stations and the school board! Make it so that it can’t be ignored
Mike Krone
Others called for broader investigations and accountability. Summer Sharkey wrote,
If this man did this to his first cousin, imagine who else he is messaging! They should have immediately got a warrant for his phone. I’m sure there are several other victims.
Summer Sharkey
Albert Diaz alleged possible corruption, commenting,
“Definitely covering this up, definitely corruption at its finest. You can’t just dismiss anything without proper investigation.”
Albert Diaz
Some commenters also criticized the local institutions named in Houghtalen’s post, particularly Susquehanna Township School District and Susquehanna Township Police Department, both of which, according to him, were contacted but took no apparent action.
One commenter, Ciarra Shayne, claimed that similar misconduct cases in the district had been “swept under the rug.”
Others offered advice or support, encouraging the family to contact the FBI, state police, or even independent advocacy like Bikers Against Predators or 814 Predator Hunters, which specialize in confronting suspected child predators.
