Former Pennridge Softball Coach Admits to Sex with Girl Player
By Laurie Mason Schroeder
A former Pennridge softball coach who prosecutors say targeted underage girls as early as 2008 pleaded guilty Monday to sex charges stemming from his October arrest, when a girl's parents became suspicious about his relationship with their child and alerted police. Eric Romig, 36, of Richland Township admitted guilt in Bucks County Court to numerous felony charges, including sexual contact with a student, corruption of minors and possession of child pornography. Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Schorn said Romig propositioned two 16-year-old female players when he was the girls basketball coach at Faith Christian Academy in Sellersville during the 2008-09 school year. He sent one girl lewd text messages while she sat near him on an away game bus ride, Schorn said. After a second teen came forward with similar allegations, Romig was "forced to resign," Schorn added. But Faith Christian officials never called police, the prosecutor told a judge Monday, and Romig was never charged with any crime involving students at the school. Instead, he got a job as a softball coach at Pennridge High School, where he met and began a sexual relationship with another 16-year-old student. "Pennridge had no warning," Schorn said. "The school was completely unaware that this individual had a predisposition toward underage girls." Romig had coached the girl for two years, both at Pennridge and while she played for the Sellersville Belles, a travel team. Shortly after her 16th birthday, Schorn said, Romig began to engage the girl in a sexual relationship. He sent her a video of himself masturbating in the shower and asked her to send him nude photos. When the girl's parents "noticed unusual activity on their daughter's cell phone bill" and took away her phone, Romig bought her a new one and hid it in the bushes outside her home, court records show. Romig, a married father of three, eventually confessed to the crimes, police said. In court Monday, Romig did not speak and hid his face as he was escorted out of the courtroom after the brief hearing. Schorn said detectives learned of Romig's allegedly inappropriate behavior with Faith Christian Academy students while investigating the current case. She said Faith Christian officials told her that they had consulted an attorney who advised them that ousting Romig was all the action they needed to take. "That's absolutely not true," Schorn said. "As mandated reporters they should have called police." There are no allegations that Romig had physical contact with any students at Faith Christian. After speaking with the alleged victims, detectives declined to pursue charges. There are no current plans to charge any school officials, Schorn said. "It would be incredibly difficult to prosecute at this point," Schorn said. "Had law enforcement known about it in 2009, I'm pretty confident it would have resulted in criminal charges." Schorn noted that recent changes in Pennsylvania law have strengthened laws regarding school employees who make sexual advances toward children. Faith Christian headmaster Ryan Clymer did not immediately return phone and email messages seeking comment Monday. The victim's mother was in the courtroom Monday but did not speak. The girl and her family will have a chance to address the judge when Romig is sentenced. Romig remains in the county prison on $500,000 bail while awaiting sentencing, which will occur in about 90 days. He could face more than seven years behind bars. Schorn said the investigation remains open, despite Romig's guilty plea. Anyone with information is asked to call county detective David Kemmerer at 215-348-6354.
|
.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.