Former W&J intern coach pleads guilty in child exploitation case
Editor’s note: This story was updated Feb. 14, 2022, to clarify the defendant in this case was a former intern coach.
A former Washington & Jefferson College intern coach for the men’s basketball team pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to charges that he sexually exploited juvenile girls.
According to court records, Jacob Kolonis, 29, extorted two juvenile girls who live in Ohio, and threatened another girl in Pennsylvania. The crimes occurred between August 2019 and February 2020 while Kolonis was working as an intern coach at W&J, according to prosecutors.
Court records indicate that Kolonis was living in on-campus housing at W&J at the time, though he now lives in Blair County.
There were 13 additional charges to which Kolonis did not plead guilty, but his plea agreement states that he accepts responsibility and those charges can be considered at his sentencing in June.
According to court records, Kolonis communicated with the victims through the Snapchat social media platform. He would send threats and coerce them into sending sexually explicit pictures and videos, court documents state.
Kolonis had been free on bond, but was taken into the custody of U.S. marshals following his plea.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office and the South Fayette Township Police Department conducted the investigation, according to the Department of Justice.
A college spokeswoman said no members of the W&J community, students or employees, were put at risk by Kolonis’ actions.
The charges against Kolonis carry a maximum sentence of no less than 15 years to life in prison, a $4 million fine, or both.