By Melissa Boyd and Benjamin E. Lykens (Whetstone Staff Writers)

Dover Police

Charles Coursey

Charles Coursey, an assistant coach for the Wesley College men’s basketball team and a Sussex Tech High School teacher, was arrested on charges of having sex with a 17-year-old high school student, Delaware State police said.

After his arrest, Coursey, 38, a Milton resident, also was charged by state police with two counts each of dealing in child pornography and obscenity after an investigation showed he had sent the student obscene text messages.

Coursey, who is men’s basketball coach Jerry Kobasa’s stepson, has been suspended by Wesley College.

“He made a mistake so he has to go through the system,” Kobasa said. “I have and I will support him.”

Kobasa said Coursey was “here up until the day he was arrested” in late January.

According to the police report, Coursey “and the victim entered into a cellular phone text messaging relationship while at school. This developed into them meeting outside of school and engaging in a sexual relationship.  In the course of this exchange, Coursey sent obscene photos of himself to the victim.”

Wesley College officials had one joint comment.

“Mr. Coursey has been suspended from his coaching duties on an interim basis as a precautionary measure pending the outcome of the case,” said both Eric Nelson, director of human resources, and Mike Drass, Wesley’s athletic director.

Nelson said Wesley College had no further comment about the charges.

“The only information that I know about the allegations I have heard through the local media,” Nelson said. “This is a personnel matter.”

Sophomore Wesley basketball player Julian Allen said he was shocked.

“I didn’t believe it when I first heard about it,” he said.

Another basketball player, Rasheed Carter, said he was disappointed in Coursey’s behavior.

“I feel for him given the situation,” he said. “We understand what he did was wrong, but everyone makes mistakes and you got to respond to them and we want to be there to support him. He was the leader as far as our offense. It was disappointing and we couldn’t believe it was happening.”

According to the Delaware state police, Sussex Tech notified police Jan. 25 about the relationship, which started at the beginning of the year.

Coursey was originally charged with three counts of sexual abuse of a child by a person of trust and four counts of unlawful sexual contact, until the investigation turned up his text messages.