Aug 13, 2020

KC youth soccer club founder pleads guilty to sex crime

Posted Aug 13, 2020 1:00 AM
Cummins photo KBI Offender Registry
Cummins photo KBI Offender Registry

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The founder of a Kansas City-area youth soccer club has pleaded guilty to a sex crime involving a teen player and will be sentenced next month.

Jason Cummins, 37, pleaded guilty in Johnson County District Court last month to attempted aggravated indecent liberties with a child between the ages of 14 and 16.  He also registered as a sex offender.

Investigators said Cummins targeted a girl on one of his teams whom he had coached since she was 9. Among other things, police said, Cummins inappropriately touched her, forced her to sit on his lap and sent her inappropriate texts.

Cummins founded the soccer club Arson FC in 2014, putting together boys, girls and coed teams. Since his guilty plea, he’s turned operation of the club over to his wife, the Star said.

Cummins’s attorney, Scott Toth, said Cummins showed “poor judgment” in his interactions with the teen.

“Jason accepted responsibility quickly and decisively, and that indicates that he is remorseful and wants to move on with his life," Toth said.

But the teen's family says Cummins and hit wife have been telling team members and their families that the victim is lying, leading other teens to badger the victim and accuse her of lying about the former coach.