Police: Former Wootton Football Coach Sexually Assaulted Players, Asked for Explicit Photos
Christopher Papadopoulos. Via Montgomery County Police.
Additional charging details allege that former Wootton High School football coach Christopher Papadopoulos inappropriately touched student players and pressured one for explicit photos.
Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) detectives charged Papadopoulos, 26, of Gaithersburg with two counts of sexual abuse of a minor and four counts of fourth degree sexual offense, according to online case records. Papadopoulos was an assistant varsity football coach at Wootton from 2016-2020 and police said the two victims were student football players at the time of the abuse. Wootton Principal Kimberly Boldon said in a community message that Papadopoulos is “currently not serving as an assistant coach at any MCPS high school and has been placed on administrative leave.” Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Spokesperson Gboyinde Onijala told MyMCMedia that his work concluded at the end of the football season.
“Victim A” was preparing to enter his senior year of high school during the summer of 2017 and hoped to play football in college. He played for Wootton and was coached by Papadopoulos, who would invite the victim to his home in Gaithersburg. According to charging documents Papadopoulos would help Victim A stretch his muscles and at one point touched him inappropriately. Papadopoulos eventually convinced the victim to strip down to his underwear in order to see muscle growth. Some time after that, the coach began inappropriately touching Victim A.
Police said Victim A’s mother knew about the visits and approved them because she saw Papadopoulos as a father-figure to her son. Victim A thought the visits were to improve his football skills and said he felt like he had no power against Papadopoulos, police said. The offenses continued throughout the fall of 2017 while the victim was 17 years old and the coach was 23, and also after the victim turned 18. On one occasion Papadopoulos pressed himself onto Victim A without his consent, court documents say.
“Victim B” was also 17 years old at the time of the reported abuse and is now an adult. During the fall 2017 football season, Victim B and Papadopoulos would text and Snapchat. Police said Papadopoulos would ask for photos of Victim B wearing only compression shorts to check training progress. The victim said he was uncomfortable but did it because he thought he needed Papadopoulos’ help getting into a college football program, and the coach told him that’s what college football players do, according to police.
Papadopoulos also begged Victim B for a nude photo and ridiculed him when he refused, police said. The victim sent a photo after feeling coerced.
In the fall of 2018, Victim B, still 17 years old, continued to play football for Wootton and he and Papadopoulos often spent time together outside of school. This included getting together at Victim B’s house. Charging documents said they would drink alcohol together. One night Papadopoulos slept over after he and Victim B drank. Police said the two slept separately but said Victim B woke up to Papadopoulos touching him inappropriately. Victim B told him to stop and slept somewhere else and Papadopoulos apologized over text the next morning, according to court documents.
Online case records show Papadopoulos was released from jail on bond Oct. 13.
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Former Wootton High School Football Coach Charged With Sexual Abuse of Two Players
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