A former youth sports coach in northeast Indiana is facing a serious criminal charge after investigators say he spent months exchanging inappropriate messages with someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl.
Jason Christopher Purdy, 43, has been charged with a Level 5 felony count of child solicitation in Noble County. Until his arrest, he served as an assistant boys’ basketball coach at DeKalb High School and held the role of secretary for Auburn Little League.
How the Investigation Started
The case came to light after a volunteer group that targets online predators, known as Blue Collar Predator Hunters, alerted the Kendallville Police Department on June 25.
- The group told police it had been communicating with Purdy, who was allegedly using a fake identity while messaging a decoy account.
- Court records filed in Noble Circuit Court indicate the exchanges began on a dating app and continued from early March through mid-June.
- Investigators say many of the messages were sexual in nature and that Purdy sent a photo of himself to the decoy.
- The group had reportedly arranged to confront Purdy in person in Kendallville before police intervened.
When officers questioned him, Purdy denied any knowledge of the conversations, according to court filings.
He later consented to a search of his cellphone, and police say the data recovered from the device, combined with the tip from the predator-catching group, formed the basis for his arrest.
Purdy was booked into the Noble County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond.
Schools and League Respond
News of the arrest prompted swift action from both the school district and the youth basketball league connected to Purdy.
- Auburn Little League confirmed that Purdy is no longer affiliated with the organization in any capacity.
- DeKalb Central Schools sent a letter to families over the weekend, informing them that Purdy had been immediately pulled from all school-related duties.
- Superintendent Steve Teders said the district is also working with the DeKalb Central Basketball League to make sure Purdy has no further contact with students through that program.
In his message to families, Teders emphasized that student safety remains the district’s top priority and noted that officials acted quickly to cut off Purdy’s access to students, school records, and any school-connected activities.
He acknowledged that because the matter is both an active law enforcement investigation and a personnel issue, the district’s ability to share additional details is limited for now.
Teders added that the school would keep families updated if new information emerges that directly affects the school community.
Key details at a glance:
- Charge: Level 5 felony child solicitation
- Alleged victim: Believed to be a 14-year-old girl
- Timeframe of messages: March 4 to June 11
- Tipster: Blue Collar Predator Hunters
- Jail status: Held without bond in Noble County
- Former roles: DeKalb High School assistant basketball coach; Auburn Little League secretary
The investigation remains active, and no additional charges have been announced as of this report. Authorities have not indicated whether other potential victims have come forward.
