Former Coach Indicted on Child Sex Charges

A has been indicted by a grand jury on child sex charges, said Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone Wednesday.

Jason Coughlin, 31, of Woburn, was charged with posing a child in state of nudity, enticement of a child under the age of 16, dissemination of obscene matter to a minor, violation of a harassment prevention order (2 counts), and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Coughlin was a coach for several basketball teams, but

In May, for violating a harassment protection order. At the time, commonwealth attorney Amanda Rowan, said Coughlin, then living at 13 Hovey St., engaged in a “sexually inappropriate relationship” with a 14-year-old girl. 

Coughlin’s attorney Nicholas Felici, acknowledged that there was “mutual admiration” between the 31-year-old and the 14-year-old victim. According to Felici, Coughlin has known the girl since she was 9 years old.

Rowan described in May to the court that Woburn Police investigated charges of an inappropriate relationship between Coughlin and a teenager for several months.

The teenager’s family had asked for, and received, a harassment protection order against Coughlin. He was told in court in March and again in April that he could not contact the victim in any way.

The state alleges that Coughlin and the victim spoke to each other via text message twice. Rowan said that investigators learned that the victim and Coughlin engaged in a two-and-a-half hour text conversation in May, where they allegedly referred to each other as “husband” and “wife” and made comments about “being together.”

Coughlin turned himself into the  and was arrested on charges of violating the protection order.

In May, Felici denied the charges on behalf of Coughlin, saying that the victim is “obsessed” with his client.

“This is a rush to justice,” said Felici. “There is no question.”

The Assistant District Attorney now on the case is Elissa Torto.