Mickey Gotwalt has been sentenced to prison from CSC with a 14-year-old.
/ file photo
CARO -- A Caro high school softball coach, accused of having sex with a 14-year-old student, has been sentenced to prison.
The Associated Press reports that during the Tuscola County Circuit Court sentencing Thursday, Mickey Gotwalt’s defense lawyer, Thomas Warda, told the judge that the victim would eventually forget the sex crimes. The judge disagreed and sentenced the 52-year-old to at least 7 years and 2 months behind bars.
Gotwalt had coached softball at the Caro Community Schools for several years, and many considred him an upstanding citizen in the community.
However, that soon changed when a teenage girl came to school officials, claiming the coach had an inappropriate sexual relationship with her for several months.
School officials say the victim showed authorities the explicit text messages Gotwalt had sent her.
He was accused of four counts of 1st degree criminal sexual conduct and eight counts of 2nd degree criminal sexual conduct for the sex crimes.
School officials believe the crimes took place on school grounds.
