HAMMOND, Wis. -- A youth hockey coach from Hammond, Wisconsin has been charged with having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl on his team.
Jim Armagost, 45, is a longtime coach of the girls team that practices in Baldwin and River Falls and draws players from several Western Wisconsin communities.
Authorities say the relationship started with romantic e-mails sent by the coach to his young player. The girl told investigators she had encounters with the coach approximately 50 times, in his home and along secluded roads in his car.
St. Croix County Sheriff Dennis Hillstead says there may have also been encounters while the team was traveling to games out of town.
According to the criminal complaint, Armagost admitted having sexual contact with the girl.
Hillstead says a friend of the victim from school became aware of the relationship and contacted authorities. "She actually went in and retrieved some of the e-mails from her friend's computer. Once she found that she contacted the school liaison officer."
Hillstead says authorities are interviewing other players coached by Armagost, but have no evidence of other abuse. Armagost has four children, two still in school. One of his daughters is friends with the victim.
The sheriff says Armagost is separated from his wife and has been ordered to have no contact with children, including his own.
Armagost is being held in the St. Croix County jail with cash bond set at $15,000 as he awaits his preliminary hearing. He's charged with the repeated sexual assault of a child and using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime.
(Copyright 2009 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)
