The girls basketball coach at a Des Moines area high school is in jail, facing sex-related charges.
Gerald Johnson was the varsity girls basketball coach at Des Moines Roosevelt High School until Tuesday afternoon. He turned himself in to authorities yesterday and he was placed on administrative leave by the school district. He has been charged with sexual exploitation of a minor and assault with the intent to commit sex abuse.
Johnson has coached at three schools in central Iowa over the past 15 years. He was the head coach at Roosevelt for eight years, then in 2009 he coached for a year at the American Institute of Business. After that, Johnson coached at Saydel before returning to Roosevelt this season. He had replaced a coach who resigned after allegations of mishandling funds in the high school athletic department.
Four assistant coaches led the Roosevelt girls basketball team last night. Roosevelt won their game against cross-town rival Hoover by four points.
Johnson, who goes by the nickname “Tig”, coached Roosevelt to a state championship in 2006 during his previous run at the school.