AVON, Ind. — A volunteer youth football coach who briefly served as a substitute teacher for Avon Schools is under arrest after being accused of molesting a preteen boy and taking nude photographs of the minor.

Matthew Duran, 18, faces charges of child seduction, a Level 3 felony; child molesting, a Level 4 felony and child exploitation, a Level 4 felony. He was arrested on Thursday and is being held in the Hendricks County Jail.

According to court documents, police began investigating Duran on Feb. 27 after an officer for Avon Schools was notified that Duran may have been sending inappropriate messages to a preteen boy.

Duran reportedly served as a volunteer coach for a youth football team. The victim was reportedly one of the players on the team.

Avon Schools confirmed that Duran briefly served as a substitute teacher but was terminated after “just two substitute shifts due to concerns brought to our attention about his behavior outside of his school employment.”

Court documents reveal that Duran had been communicating with the child via various online applications and frequently visisted the preteen at his home. The child’s parents told police that at first they’d thought Duran was “a good kid” who had only been trying to mentor their son.

Police discovered Duran had sent the child a number of unnerving messages including telling the preteen that he loved him and that he used a photograph of the minor as his (phone or computer’s) background.

Duran also allegedly told the preteen to delete messages and videos “so your mom doesn’t see.”

According to court documents, investigators discovered that Duran had nude photographs of the victim and had sent these images to the preteen.

Investigators also accused Duran of fondling the child over his clothing at the boy’s home in 2022.

Duran was reportedly relieved of his duties on the football team after the head football coach was told about Duran’s inappropriate communications with the victim.

The Avon Junior Athletic Association released the following statement Friday afternoon:

“The AJAA board learned of the allegations against Matthew Duran for the first time yesterday, after the arrest was made. We can confirm that Mr. Duran applied to be a volunteer coach on the team for which his younger brother played in the summer of 2022. After a background check, he served in that capacity for a couple of weeks. AJAA leadership removed him from his position after some parents raised concerns that he may have been contacting younger athletes. AJAA continues to investigate this matter.”

AJAA

If convicted, Duran could face between three and 16 years in prison for his most serious charge.