CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A southern Ohio volleyball coach has been federally indicted after agents say he victimized more than 100 children in a child porn exploitation.
Clay Thomas Wolfe, a 28-year-old assistant volleyball coach at New Lexington High School, was arrested Friday by federal agents on charges of sexually exploiting minors and engaging in the distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography.
The arrest came after a thorough investigation revealed that Wolfe, a resident of Junction City, Ohio, had allegedly obtained child pornography from over 100 victims using the popular mobile application Snapchat since 2018. It is reported that the defendant, using a fake identity posing as a 15-year-old female named “Ally” on Snapchat, preyed upon middle school and high school boys, soliciting explicit material from them.
The known victims of Wolfe’s heinous acts were discovered to be scattered across various cities in the Southern District of Ohio, including Chillicothe, as well as in Pennsylvania and Minnesota. Disturbingly, Wolfe’s Snapchat account contained sexually explicit photographs and videos of minor males as young as 10 and 11-years-old, exploiting their vulnerability and innocence.
Snapchat records indicate that between March 2022 and January 2023, Wolfe engaged in online communications with more than 100 other Snapchat users. Furthermore, a forensic review of Wolfe’s iCloud account uncovered more than 100 photos and videos of child sexual abuse material, adding to the gravity of his alleged crimes, agents said.
The charges brought against Wolfe carry severe penalties. Sexual exploitation of a minor is a federal crime that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, up to a maximum of 30 years. Similarly, the distribution and receipt of child pornography are punishable by a mandatory term of imprisonment ranging from five to 20 years.
The news of Wolfe’s arrest has shaken the New Lexington High School community to its core, leaving parents, students, and faculty grappling with a mixture of shock, anger, and sadness. Local authorities and school officials are working diligently to provide support to any potential victims and their families during this traumatic time.