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Judge doubles bail for soccer coach

Second allegation concerns New York incident in 1960s

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  • More charges expected against Hickory High coach

    Hickory police say they expect to file additional charges soon against a Hickory High School basketball and football coach accused of having sex with a student. But they’re not saying yet whether the charges will be related to a new victim.

    Shawnacie Antoine Johnson, 38, was arrested Tuesday after a female student made an “allegation of a sexual nature” to school employees late this spring. A grand jury indicted Johnson on four counts of statutory rape and one count of sexual offense by a teacher.

    The victim said she was 14 when the alleged sexual behavior first began in 2007, according to court staff and documents.

    Johnson is set to appear before a magistrate on Friday. WCNC reporter Tony Burbeck and Observer staff writer Claire McNeil



Rowan authorities say at least one more person has leveled accusations against a longtime soccer coach arrested last week on child sex charges.

The new accusations involve an incident that allegedly happened in New York in the 1960s. The accuser told local authorities of plans to file a report on the incident in that jurisdiction, said Capt. John Sifford of the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.

Information on the new accusation came on the same day that a judge doubled Ralph William Wager’s bail to $1 million. The 69-year-old Charlotte man remained in the Rowan County jail Wednesday.

Wager’s defense attorney declined to comment because the case is pending.

Wager faces multiple counts of first-degree child sex offense, crimes against nature and taking indecent liberties with a child after someone told authorities that the coach had inappropriate sexual contact with him between 1987 and 1989.

At the time, Wager was the head soccer coach at Catawba College in Salisbury. The sheriff’s office has said the victim, who was younger than 10 at the time, was participating in another sports activity at the college.

In court on Wednesday, a prosecutor said the mother of the victim contacted Catawba College officials about the alleged inappropriate behavior in 1987, according to The Salisbury Post. In response, the college restricted the coach’s access to its pool, the newspaper reported.

Wager resigned from the college in 1990 after seven years as coach, citing health and personal reasons.

It was not immediately clear who was told of the allegations at the time. The sheriff’s office has said its investigation began in May this year.

A college spokeswoman declined to comment on Wednesday’s court hearing.

Earlier this week, Catawba College officials said the school had ordered an independent investigation into the case, including getting help from outside investigators.

“While this allegation involves events over twenty years ago, we also intend to use this opportunity to review current college policies and procedures in light of today’s best practices for campus communities,” Catawba President Brien Lewis said in a letter to employees.

Wager, a longtime fixture in the soccer community, most recently worked at the Steele Creek Soccer Club. But after his arrest he was indefinitely suspended by the N.C. Youth Soccer Association, which overseas the local club and about 100 other member associations.

Bethea: 704-358-6013 On Twitter: @AprilBethea

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