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	Longtime Pottsville High School Coach, 62, Gets Jail in Sex Case Tearful, Apologetic, He Gets 4 Years for Molesting Girl, Taping Locker Room By Michael Rubinkam Pittsburgh Post-Gazette May 15, 2007 http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07135/786043-85.stm Pottsville, Pa. -- Sobbing as he apologized, a well-known high school coach was sentenced yesterday to up to four years in prison for secretly videotaping female athletes in a locker room and sexually molesting one of them. Daniel Shields Jr., 62, who had decades of experience coaching track and football at Nativity BVM High School in Pottsville, Schuylkill County, saw his career come to an abrupt end in 2005 when two recent graduates broke into his house, retrieved a videotape that showed three members of the girls' track team in various stages of undress, and gave it to police. Nearly two years later, Mr. Shields took the witness stand at his sentencing hearing and broke down as he apologized for his crimes and asked forgiveness. "I'm sorry for what I did. I know I did wrong," he said. "I made a mistake. ... I betrayed your trust. I've been asking myself why, why? I can't find an answer." Mr. Shields admitted that he videotaped the girls and sexually assaulted one of them on numerous occasions in 2005. He pleaded guilty March 1 to sexual abuse of children, indecent assault and other offenses. He was sentenced to 18 months to four years in state prison, followed by six years' probation. When he gets out of prison, he will have to register as a sex offender under Megan's Law. Friends and relatives of the victims packed one side of the courtroom, while Mr. Shields' family and friends packed the other for an emotionally charged hearing that painted two completely different pictures of the man. There was the Mr. Shields who mentored hundreds of students over the years, who taught the value of hard work and persuaded would-be dropouts to stay in school, who was devoted to his late wife and to his two daughters, both of whom testified on his behalf. They said his crimes were completely out of character, and that he had spent the last two years a virtual prisoner inside his home, too ashamed and remorseful to appear in public. But Schuylkill County Judge D. Michael Stine said Mr. Shields had abused his position of trust and authority, and deserved prison. "A person who was to lead by example failed," the judge said. And one of his victims bitterly condemned him, saying that he had wrecked her life. "How could you? You had no right to feel that way about me. Do you even care?" she said from the witness stand. "You have scarred me for life." Timothy Ring, a forensic psychologist hired by the defense, testified that Mr. Shields fell into a deep depression following the death of his wife seven years ago, drinking heavily and withdrawing socially. His isolation and inability to deal with his grief led him to "crack" and make a "horrible, gross mistake," said Mr. Ring. "This man went from a community hero to a community villain literally overnight," he said. Emmanuel Dimitriou, Mr. Shields' lawyer, said there are no immediate plans to appeal the sentence. Mr. Shields was ordered to report to prison Monday morning. Mr. Shields and the Catholic Diocese of Allentown still face two civil lawsuits that were placed on hold pending the conclusion of the criminal case. Mr. Shields had long been one of the area's most visible coaches, leading the track team at Nativity for 35 years and its football team for 27 years. He also had served as an assistant coach for Pottsville Area High School's football team and for Blue Mountain High School's football team. He was charged on Aug. 18, 2005, two days after investigators seized DVDs and videotapes at his home.
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