Thomas Snider, a California high school wrestling coach, was charged Wednesday with molesting more than 25 students in the wrestling program.
Snider, 47, turned himself into the Torrance Police Department and was charged with 33 felony counts of “inappropriately touching children and
eight misdemeanor counts of child molesting,” The Los Angeles Times reported. The investigation into the accusations has been ongoing for three months.
Snider had been a teacher in the Torrance school district since 1990 and was hired as the
wrestling coach at Torrance High School about two years ago, KTLA 5 reported.
“I think they’re shocked and … everyone really doesn’t know what’s gonna happen next,” Ben Araiza, a captain of school’s wrestling team, told KTLA regarding reaction to the arrest. “They said it was happening, but I never really paid attention.”
Several students reported problems with Snider in January, the Times said, and he was put on paid leave during the investigation, but was moved to unpaid leave when he was charged.
All accusations of misconduct occurred with school wrestling team members, male students ages 13 to 16, Torrance police spokesperson Sgt. Paul Kranke told the Times.
Parent Elba Ruiz, 43, of Torrance told the Times it was hard to fathom that the allegations might be true.
"He's a nice person," she told the newspaper. "He was my son's teacher and he never said anything to me that would make me think he would do something like this."
"He categorically denies any merit to any criminal charges he may face," Rosty Gore, Snider’s attorney, told the Times. “His life is now being basically destroyed. They have been truly suffering because of these false claims."
Snider is being held on $900,000 bail.
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