Charge against former Nelson Co. High School track coach dropped following plea

Prosecutors dropped a charge today against a former Nelson County High School track coach accused of soliciting a teenage student following his guilty plea in Charlottesville earlier this month to taking indecent liberties with a child.
Nelson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Phil Payne told Judge Jannene Shannon in Nelson County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court that the county would not pursue a charge of felony computer solicitation of a juvenile against Richard Seely Noles, 23, because of the guilty plea Noles made in Charlottesville.
Noles did not appear in court today.
On Oct. 13 in Charlottesville Circuit Court, Noles admitted to having sex with a 16-year-old girl.
Under the plea agreement with Charlottesville prosecutors, a second count of taking indecent liberties will not be prosecuted.
The victim’s father complained to authorities in February.
Noles then resigned from his position at Nelson County High School, where he taught alternative education and coached boys and girls indoor and outdoor track and cross country during the 2008-2009 school year.
Noles was charged first in Nelson and later, Charlottesville police charged him with two counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor.
In Charlottesville Circuit Court, Elizabeth Killeen, an assistant commonwealth’s attorney, said Noles had formed a friendship with a then-16-year-old student, striking up a relationship that included late-night phone calls.
Killeen said the girl went to Noles’ Charlottesville apartment, where they had sex.
Noles’ attorney, John Luxton, said in court that Noles had no criminal record before the incident and that he had been cooperative with police.
Noles remains free on bond and faces up to five years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced in Charlottesville on April 7.