A former Lawrence North High School assistant swim coach Thursday pleaded guilty this morning in a case accusing him of sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl. Christopher Wheat, 36, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor and one count of child solicitation. He faces a maximum 10 years at sentencing July 2, under the terms of his plea agreement with Marion County prosecutors.
The girl was a swimmer on the Lawrence Swim Team, for which Wheat was executive director and head coach. Wheat was also an assistant coach on the Lawrence North swim team. He has been dismissed from both squads.
The solicitation charge covered lewd text messages that Wheat had sent to the girl, who had been a Lawrence Swim Team member since she was 11. She told police she had several physical encounters with Wheat from Sept. 1 to 30, according to a probable cause affidavit, and the activity included fondling and kissing. Link
