Former Thornton Fractional South wrestling coach charged with sexual assault of student

A former Thornton Fractional South High School wrestling coach was charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl at his former home in Glenwood, police said.

Aaron Richmond, 31, of Harvey, is charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse, according to Glenwood police and Cook County court records.

Richmond, a former teacher and wrestling coach at the Lansing high school, picked up the girl from her home in March under the pretense he was taking her to a wrestling tournament in Springfield, prosecutors said. Richmond drove to his former home in Glenwood claiming he had to pack for the tournament, they said.

Richmond invited the girl inside to wait for him, but shortly after entering the residence he sexually assaulted her, prosecutors said. Richmond then drove the girl to the wrestling match and told her not to tell anyone what had happened, prosecutors said.

In May, the school contacted the girl’s mother after she had written a paper on inappropriate contact between staff and students, prosecutors said. After school staff investigated the paper, she told a staff member about the assault by Richmond, prosecutors said. The girl’s mother later found a picture the girl accidentally took of herself while Richmond was assaulting her, they said.

The girl filed an order of protection against Richmond in May, court records show.

Three of the girl’s friends later told police that she told them what had happened to her, prosecutors said.

Defense attorney Matthew Fakhoury said the allegations against Richmond are false but said he could not provide more comment at this time.

The superintendent’s office for Thornton Fractional District 215 said Richmond resigned in June. Meeting minutes from the district’s June board meeting show Richmond stepped down as assistant wrestling coach at Thornton Fractional South and from his role as assistant athletic director at Thornton Fractional North.

Glenwood police were assisted by the La Rabida Child Advocacy Center in their investigation. Richmond was arrested Dec. 4 and charged the next day, according to police.

During Richmond’s first court appearance Friday, court records show a judge ordered him detained at Cook County Jail while he awaits trial. Richmond is due back in court Dec. 31, court records show.

smoilanen@chicagotribune.com