LaPorte High School's athletic director, head volleyball coach and the school corporation were charged Tuesday with failing to report sexual misconduct by an assistant volleyball coach.
LaPorte County Prosecutor Robert Szilagyi said Class D misdemeanor charges were filed against athletic director Ed Gilliland, volleyball coach MaryBeth Lebo and the corporation.
The charges come two months after former assistant girls volleyball coach Bob Ashcraft was convicted of charges stemming from an improper relationship with a player on the volleyball team for which he was an assistant coach. Ashcraft was convicted July 12 of two counts of Class B felony sexual misconduct with a minor, Class C felony sexual misconduct with a minor and Class D felony child seduction.
Attempts to reach Gilliland for comment were unsuccessful.
During the trial, Lebo's attorney, Bill Nelson, told the court that he had advised his client not to testify or speak about anything she may have seen of the relationship between Ashcraft and a former player on her team. Nelson said in open court that Lebo would have asserted her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination if called to the stand.
Lebo was not called to the stand during the case.
Szilagyi said former Superintendent Judy DeMuth, who has since moved to the Monroe County Schools, was not charged.
Last season, the LaPorte volleyball team reached the semistate round of the state tournament. Lebo, who is also an assistant athletic director at the school, has been coaching her team this season to its 9-1 record.
LaPorte is scheduled to host Valparaiso High with the junior varsity game beginning at 5 p.m. today.
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