MESA, Ariz. - A basketball coach was arrested for sexual abuse and luring a minor for sexual exploitation, court documents say.
Kyler Ashley, 23, is accused of having sexual relations with two 17-year-old girls and is accused of trying to have sex with a 16-year-old player on the team.
Ashley coached junior varsity basketball at Dobson High School and coached 7th graders at Summit Academy.
According to court documents, Ashley began messaging the 16-year-old victim on Snapchat in September 2018 and the messaging continued until this month.
Court documents say Ashley texted the victim on May 14, wanting to meet up for sex. He planned to meet up with her at Tempe Marketplace on May 16, but when he arrived, police were there to arrest him.
Ashley admitted to police he knew the victim was 16 years old. He also admitted to police that he's had sexual relations with two other players he coached on the Dobson JV team.
Police interviewed both 17-year-old victims and both victims admitted there were sexual relations between them and Ashley, court docs say.
In total, court documents show Ashley is charged with 17 counts of sexual conduct with a minor, two counts of sexual abuse and one count of luring a minor for sexual exploitation.
Mesa Public Schools sent the following statement after Ashley's arrest:
"Mesa Public Schools’ first priority is the safety and security of our students.
Kyler Ashley was a seasonal basketball coach for girls junior varsity at Dobson High School and 7th-grade girls at Summit Academy. He did not teach or work in any other capacity for the district.
He passed his background check when hired by the district in 2016 and received extensive training from the district and AIA on the responsibilities of a coach. He was due to renew his fingerprint clearance in September 2022.
Ashley has completed his contractual agreement with the district for this year and will not return."