BELL COUNTY, TX — A Killeen private track coach, and retired U.S. Army sergeant first class, pleaded guilty with transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual assault on Tuesday.
According to U.S. Attorney Trent Shores, 56-year-old Kerry Sloan, of Harker Heights, admitted that when he drove the victim, a minor, from Killeen to Tulsa for meetings with college coaches, he intended to engage in sexual activity with the victim without her consent.
He also admitted that he did sexually assault the victim at a Tulsa hotel.
After a 911 call was made on the return trip, the vehicle the two were traveling in was stopped by a Pittsburg County sheriff's deputy. They were trying to rescue the victim.
During the ensuing investigation, victims dating back to 1990 came forward to report similar incidents involving Sloan.
“Kerry Sloan was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He portrayed himself to parents and children as a trustworthy and caring mentor when in reality he was a danger to young girls,” said U.S. Attorney Shores. “During the course of this prosecution, even more victims than we were originally aware of came forward, claiming to have been groomed and assaulted by Mr. Sloan. His days of preying on unsuspecting families and their daughters are over. Federal prison is his next stop.”
U.S. District Judge Claire Eagan accepted the plea and scheduled Sloan's sentencing for June 26. He faces a possible minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Sloan also faces a fine of $250,000.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending the sentencing hearing. While on bond, he will be heavily monitored by the U.S. Probation's Office.
The Pittsburg County Sheriff's Office, Killeen and Tulsa Police Departments and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
