Park Hill South football assistant coach charged with attempted sexual abuse of student

PLATTE COUNTY, Missouri (KCTV) — A substitute teacher who works as an assistant coach for the football team at Park Hill South High School has been charged with attempted sexual contact with a female student.

According to Platte County prosecutors, Dillon D. Thomas solicited a 17-year-old student to perform a sexual act in February.

On May 31, charges were filed against Thomas following an investigation by the Platte County Sheriff's Department and the Missouri Department of Children.

Thomas was a substitute teacher and assistant football coach. According to court documents, the victim told authorities she first met Thomas at a volleyball practice.

According to court documents, Thomas contacted her on Instagram later in the season, telling her she was attractive and that he wished she wasn't in high school. In February, a probable cause document alleged that Thomas asked if he could take the girl out to dinner after hearing that she had broken up with her boyfriend.

The victim said Thomas “asked her if she was a senior and how old she was,” court documents say. The victim told Thomas she was a 17-year-old senior, and he admitted that maybe he shouldn't talk to her, court documents say.

As the conversation continued, the victim told authorities that Thomas had behaved inappropriately and had asked her to perform a sexual act.

Thomas eventually told the victim that people knew they had been talking to each other and told her to “delete everything.”

The charge against Thomas is a misdemeanor. If convicted, he faces up to a year in prison. Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd said there was no evidence that Thomas had sexual contact with the student.

“However, any allegation that a teacher even attempts to engage in sexual contact with a student is a very serious matter. We rely on teachers to protect young people and any potential breach of that trust is concerning.”

KCTV has reached out to the Park Hill School District for comment and is awaiting a response.

All rights reserved.