Basketball coach accused of sending pictures of naked woman to freshmen athletes



James White



MILWAUKEE -- James White, 28, of Milwaukee faces two counts of exposing a child to harmful material for allegedly sharing with teenage boys pictures of a naked woman exposing her buttocks and breasts.

White is the head coach of the freshman basketball team and assistant coach of the JV basketball team at Milwaukee Hamilton High School.

According to the criminal complaint, the mother of a student at Hamilton contacted police on Monday, Feb. 12 saying "her son had been sent videos of a naked woman" -- and that those "videos were sent via Facebook messenger and sent through a chat group that consisted of 22 children" on the Hamilton freshman basketball team.

Hamilton High School



Officers interviewed several Hamilton students about this matter. All who were questioned were 16 years old or younger. The complaint indicates most "denied recalling anything being sent by the defendant that involved pictures of nudity." But two students did admit they had seen nude images, the complaint says.

The complaint indicates White was interviewed by police on Feb. 13 and Feb. 14. On Feb. 13, White "denied posting any pictures of a nude woman" to the chat group. But the next day, the criminal complaint says he "specifically identified by name the woman who was in the pictures and specifically remembered that one of the pictures that he sent out consisted of a photograph of him lying in bed with his shirt off and that this woman's breasts were exposed and the picture showed him touching her breast."

A Milwaukee County judge on Saturday, Feb. 17 found there was enough evidence in this case to bind White over for trial. White is also ordered not to have any contact with Hamilton High School or any student or student panel.

White is due back in court on Tuesday, Feb. 27 for a preliminary hearing. If convicted on either of the two counts against him, White faces up to three-and-a-half years in prison and $10,000 in fines.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee Public Schools issued the following statement related to this incident:

“MPS is cooperating with the Milwaukee Police Department regarding an allegation involving a part-time coach at Hamilton High School. The part-time coach has been placed on unpaid leave pending a final resolution to the matter. Because there are ongoing investigations by MPD and MPS, we cannot comment further.”