Female coach charged with sexual relationship with female student - pleads guilty, sentenced to 6 months in jail

(Original Post 9-8-09)
A 17 year veteran of Xenia [OH] High School has been charged with 3 counts of sexual battery for a two month "relationship" she had with a player on a team she coached. Xenia police Capt. Scott Anger, the 42 year old Osbourne was charged with three counts of sexual battery, a 3rd degree offense, for off campus incidents with a 17 year old volleyball player on July 1 and September 2. According to the probable cause warrant, Osbourne “admitted to having engaged in sexual conduct with the minor child.”

The long time counselor and girls' vollyeball coach has been put on paid leave pending the outcome of the case.

Osborne, a 17-year veteran, has a personnel file full of positive performance reviews and glowing letters of recommendation from past students, fellow teachers and administrators.

“When a longtime counselor retired (in 2007), the hiring for that spot was very competitive,” [Xenia Schools Superintendent Jeff] Lewis said. “We had three female counselors, and I really hoped to hire a man. But (Osborne) just outshone everyone, and her hiring was unanimous.”

First-year Xenia High School Principal Ted Holop addressed students Friday and sent a message to parents.

Lewis said that there have been no complaints against Osbourne, but that “It was just shocking — we’re very saddened and embarrassed by this. I feel empathy for her, but I’m also angry because this is a breach of our trust.”

Osbourne, arrested Thursday, September 3, posted a $7500 bond Friday. A grand jury case hearing is scheduled for tomorrow. Sexual battery is a 3rd degree felony in Ohio with a 1 to 5 years prison sentence. Teachers convicted of such crimes must register as a Tier 3 sex offender for life.

(Update 4-10-10) Osborne changed her plea in a Greene County, OH courtroom to guilty on March 30, 2010. In exchange, prosecutors dropped two out of three charges of sexual battery and recommend that her teaching certificate be revoked.

Prosecutor Nicole Burke's comments are below:

"The victim is under the age of 18 and she's had a pretty rough time while the case was going on. She's finally got some closure, some vindication that this did happen and Brenda took responsibility for that. She was in a position of trust, dealing with children under the age of 18. She took advantage of that position and we feel she shouldn't be in that position ever again."

Osborne will be sentenced June 30.

(Update 6-30-10) Osborne was sentenced earlier today to 6 months in jail, years of probation and sexual predator registration for the rest of her life every 90 days. Greene County Judge Stephen A. Wolaver presided over her trial.

Prosecutor Nicole Burke said,  "[The victim's] entire senior year was pretty much destroyed. She had to literally hide in a place where she should have felt safe. Yes, Brenda Osborne was punished, but she deserved to be punished." Defense attorney Richard Skelton said,  "If you're a teacher, don't have an inappropriate relationship with a student. It's that simple. You'll pay the price if you do." Apparently, support from the community expressed through letters received to Judge Wolaver affected her sentence, as he said, "Your council [sic] provided me with dozens of letters on your behalf. This tells me a lot about who you are."

Cheerleader files lawsuit against coach who raped her

A former University of Tampa cheerleading coach’s victim filed a negligence lawsuit against the school saying that failure to perform background checks led to the assault.

Heather Wienclawski’s victimization by her cheerleading coach back in 2004, caused severe emotional distress which led to her not being able to complete her studies.

Chris Knopik, the victim’s attorney, says that UT put a sexual predator instead of a mentor in a position of trust.

"Young people in college will look at their professors and coaches as mentors. In this circumstance, it seems the University of Tampa put exactly the wrong person in this position."

The university was negligent in its hiring of [Thomas Andrew] Hall and should have known about his criminal history through background checks, the complaint said.

Hall had been arrested and charged with aggravated battery on a police officer and resisting an officer with violence in 1993, FDLE records show. He pleaded no contest to the charges.

The university "failed to take any action to investigate, reassign or discharge Coach Hall from the cheerleading squad when it became aware" of the charges that, the suit argued, made Hall unfit to serve as cheerleading coach.

The complaint also said the university failed to supervise and monitor Hall, evaluate his interactions with female cheerleaders and did not ensure that a female coach accompanied him.
According to the complaint and an arrest report, this is what happened on the night of Dec. 10, 2004:

Wienclawski told Hall that she was leaving the cheerleading squad to work as an intern in Orlando. The coach offered to take her out to celebrate and introduce her to business contacts. Wienclawski accepted the invitation, believing it was a good networking opportunity.

Hall picked up Wienclawski at her dorm and went to the Blue Martini bar at the International Plaza in Tampa. Later that night, a friend arrived to take Wienclawski home. Hall refused, saying he was responsible for Wienclawski and "that he felt obligated to ensure her safe return," the complaint said.

Hall and Wienclawski then left, but she kept asking her coach if he could take her to her friend's house or her dorm. Hall instead drove her to his home, according to a Tribune story published in 2004.

Wienclawski was raped at the house, the complaint said. She was "intoxicated and sick" at the time of the attack, according to a criminal arrest affidavit.

Hall pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual battery with slight force, according to FDLE records. He was sentenced to 6 years probation, a supervision program and lifetime sex offender registration.