Ex-swim coach pleads not guilty to porn charges

Published 3:13 pm Friday, December 26, 2008

A former swim coach from the Nansemond Swim Club pleaded not guilty this week to a variety of charges that sprang from his alleged sexual misconduct with a member of his swim team.

Jeffrey Steven Woodyard, 22, of Woodspath Lane, was in court on Monday to be arraigned on eight different felony charges brought in the fall by a Suffolk grand jury. His trial was set for Feb. 26, the same day he faces trial on five other charges for which he was arrested in August.

Police originally arrested Woodyard for allegedly sending sexually explicit photographs over his cell phone to a 16-year-old boy. According to police, he encouraged the teenager to send photographs back to him via text message.

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His original charges included felony counts of solicitation of child pornography, using a computer to solicit minors and taking indecent liberties with a child, as well as misdemeanor counts of modeling for an obscene film or photograph and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

In October, the grand jury indicted him on five counts of taking indecent liberties with a child, two counts each of production of child pornography and using electronics to procure minors and one count each of using a computer to solicit minors and child pornography solicitation.