Soccer coach arrested on suspicion of abuse, assault
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BY MARGARET REIST / Lincoln Journal Star
A longtime youth and high school soccer coach being investigated on allegations he abused and sexually assaulted at least five teenage boys was arrested at about noon Wednesday, according to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.
Sanford Kaplan, 57, who coached at Northeast High School and has worked part-time for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln since 1989, was booked into the Lancaster County Jail on suspicion of two counts of sexual assault of a child, six counts of false imprisonment and six counts of child abuse. All 14 counts are Class 3 felonies, each punishable by as many as five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Investigators said Tuesday they believe there could be additional victims.
The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office said anyone with information should call the criminal investigations division at 441-7725.
Incident reports filed at the sheriff’s office during the past week allege that boys were placed in situations “that could have caused bodily injury and endangered” their lives. All of the alleged incidents took place at Kaplan’s home north of Lincoln.
Two of the boys reported being bound, blindfolded, gagged and suspended from the rafters of a detached garage, according to the sheriff’s office statement. The actions were portrayed to them as a game and they were told to attempt to escape the bindings, according to the statement.
The first two incidents were reported to the sheriff’s office May 6, the same day investigators searched Kaplan’s home. Among the items seized were bindings, a home computer and a camera, the statement said.
On May 12, sheriff’s investigators took reports from three other young men.
Three of the five alleged victims range in age from 13 to 16 and told authorities about incidents they say occurred between March 2007 and April 2008.
And the other two, who are 19 and 21 now, reported being abused by Kaplan when they were 12 to 15.
In addition to working at UNL, Kaplan has been a longtime coach of club soccer with Capital Soccer Association. He was hired to coach varsity soccer at Northeast in 2005.
Nancy Biggs, Lincoln Public Schools associate superintendent of human resources, said she is aware of the investigation.
“His job ended with the season,” she said. “We will not be rehiring him.”
Coaches who are not permanent LPS staff members are hired annually, she said.
Kaplan was suspended Thursday from coaching with Capital Soccer Association pending the outcome of the sheriff’s investigation, said association president Rob Nixon.
Nixon said Kaplan has coached with Capital Soccer for about 11 years and this year was coaching a U13 team for boys younger than 13.
Nixon said he told authorities he would not discuss the situation further while the investigation is pending.
UNL spokeswoman Meg Lauerman said Kaplan has been assistant director and coordinator of education outreach for the Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience since April 10. He also has taught geology courses, according to the Department of Geosciences Web site.
She declined further comment, saying the university would follow its personnel procedures.
Kaplan also hosted foreign exchange students through a California-based exchange program called ERDT/SHARE!, according to the sheriff’s office.
Mike Sidley, an attorney representing the exchange program, said the group is aware of the investigation but declined to comment further.
“We want to ensure the authorities in Nebraska take appropriate action to protect whoever was victimized.”
Kaplan has no criminal history, according to the sheriff’s office statement.
Officials say their investigation shows that boys who Kaplan coached or knew otherwise often were at his home.
“It needs to be emphasized that not all boys who went to Kaplan’s house were subjected to these activities where the youths were bound,” the sheriff’s office said. “However, we believe there are a number of victims whom we have not identified.”
Reach Margaret Reist at 473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com. Journal Star reporter Lori Pilger contributed to this story.
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