HAMMOND | A Morton High School boys varsity basketball coach and teacher was arrested Tuesday on felony charges alleging he engaged in sexual activities with a 17-year-old student.
Benjamin Chinn, 26, of Merrillville, was charged in Lake Criminal Court with two counts of child seduction, a Class D felony. After being booked into the Lake County Jail, Chinn posted a $1,945 bond and was released.
Chinn's attorney, Scott King, said in a news release Tuesday that Chinn denies the allegations.
"A review of the probable cause affidavit reveals that the evidence relied upon to arrest Mr. Chinn consists solely of uncorroborated allegations made by one young woman," King said in the statement.
The girl told authorities that she groped Chinn and they kissed and engaged in sexual activities in his classroom and his office, according to a probable cause affidavit. Chinn had been her teacher in previous school years and they continued to talk outside class, court records state.
During an interview with police Thursday, the girl said the sexual activities began sometime in March, records state.
"It is our information that those allegations followed repeated denials by that woman of any impropriety and came only after a threatening confrontation with her father," King said in the statement.
Hammond police were tipped off to the allegations after the girl confided in her father and he called police, Police Chief Brian Miller said.
Morton athletic director Roy Richards said in an email Tuesday night that Chinn is still the Governors' head coach, but Richards would not make any other comments.
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