A tennis coach based in Cherry Hill, New Jersey is accused of showing nude photos he took of himself to one of his teenage students.
The 60-year-old tennis instructor, Ovidiu V. Dragos, allegedly showed the naked picture to the 15-year-old he was coaching twice across two separate group lessons that took place at the Cherry Hill Health and Racquet Club in town, Fox 29 reported. This is allegedly not an isolated incident, as Dragos is accused of a wide array of allegations involving stalking and harassing the same 15-year-old girl for over two years, Camden County officials said, according to the outlet.
The parents of the unnamed minor reported their daughter’s allegations to Moorestown Public Safety Director Patrick Reilly after she told them about the alleged incidents, the outlet said.
“One of the subjects and victims was a Moorestown resident that he was doing coaching lessons with her over several years and had inappropriate interactions with her showing naked pictures of himself, inappropriate touching. So there was multiple allegations,” Reilly told the outlet. (RELATED: REPORT: Middle School Teacher Allegedly Sent $50 To 13-Year-Old Student For Nude Pictures)
NJ police: ‘Perv’ tennis coach stalked, showed nudes to girl https://t.co/3RgV9eEqz5 @nj1015
— New Jersey 101.5 (@nj1015) February 27, 2024
Dragos allegedly slipped a slew of gifts, poems, cards and letters into the victim’s tennis bag over two years during her private and group lessons with the coach at the Cherry Hill club and other outdoor courts in Cinnaminson and Moorestown, according to the outlet.
The instructor was arrested by U.S. Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force – Camden Division Monday and remains held at the Camden County Correctional Facility, according to the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, the outlet said. (RELATED: Former Olympian Conrad Mainwaring Sentenced To 11 Years In Jail After Pleading Guilty To Sexual Abuse Charges: REPORT)
His release is pending a pretrial detention hearing.
Dragos was charged with harassment and stalking, promoting obscene material to a minor and also endangering the welfare of a child by the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, according to CBS News Philadelphia.
A New Jersey tennis coach was charged after allegedly showing naked photos of himself to a 15-year-old girl. https://t.co/TebgitIngn
— CBS Philadelphia (@CBSPhiladelphia) February 27, 2024
Dragos is accused of showing the minor the photos in person via his cell phone, CBS News Philadelphia noted.