Barrington Christian Academy Coach Charged With Preying On Teen Student: Feds

PROVIDENCE, RI — A coach and teacher at Barrington Christian Academy preyed on a teen student, convincing her he worked for the FBI and persuading her to send him nude photos of herself, a federal agent said.

Sean "Casper" Cassidy, 53, was charged in federal court with the coercion or enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and falsely presenting as a federal employee.

Cassidy cultivated a relationship with the girl he coached in multiple sports and in December, when she was 13, "he worked with the FBI as part of (a) group that worked to protect children who were being sex trafficked; persuaded (her) that she could be his trainee as part of this FBI group; put (her) through various 'challenges' as part of what he described as her training for the FBI program; told (her) about other persons who were presently working with him or had worked with him as part of this FBI program," U.S. Department of Homeland Security Agent Michael A. Agostinho said in an affidavit.

"The affidavit further alleges that Cassidy used multiple online platforms — email, messaging services, and encrypted accounts — to engage in communications with the minor under various fictitious identities and directed her to engage in acts, including taking partially nude photographs of herself, that he told her were part of the FBI 'training program,'" the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a media release.

Cassidy also faces state charges of indecent solicitation of a child, assault, contributing to the delinquency of a child younger than 16 and furnishing alcoholic beverages to underage persons.

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