A Marietta man and Hempfield High School football coach and teacher has been charged with corruption of minors and harassment regarding an incident that took place on October 7, 2021.

Thomas James Walker, 25, faces the first-degree and third-degree misdemeanors.

On October 8, 2021, West Hempfield Township Police Department received a complaint from a 16-year-old female and her parent that a teacher from Hempfield sent her inappropriate messages indicating he was drunk and horny.

These messages came through the social media platform SnapChat at about 10:30 p.m. from a username that police determined to be the defendant.

The victim reported she received additional messages from the defendant asking how she was doing and inquiring about her appearance. Before the victim ended the communication, the victim said the defendant was questioning about why she wasn’t sending him an image of herself.

Walker admitted to a Lancaster County Children and Youth Agency caseworker that he sent the messages but did so by mistake.

Walker is presumed innocent.

West Hempfield Township Police Department Detective George Brace filed charges.

Assistant District Attorney Amy Muller approved charges.

MEDIA CONTACT: Sean McBryan, semcbryan@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @SeanMcBryanLanc.