Softball coach charged with child molesting
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- A softball coach has been arrested on multiple counts of child molesting for inappropriately touching a young girl over the course of several years, according to court records.
In July, a woman reported to the Mishawaka Police that Bradley Mathis had been molesting her daughter for the last few years, according to the probable cause affidavit.
In August, the victim was interviewed at the CASIE center about the alleged molestation.
The victim told investigators when she was 9-years-old, Mathis put pornography on his phone and would watch it with her, reports said.
At first it started as watching pornography, then he started asking to see her breasts, reports said.
Then it progressed to inappropriate touching, which continued for approximately 3 years, according to the probable cause affidavit.
She told investigators it happened most nights over the course of 3 years and it was "all he wanted to do," according to the probable cause affidavit.
The victim also told police Mathis named their genitals so they could speak in code, reports said.
If she resisted the sexual contact, Mathis said things like, "I thought you loved me," and said he would be taken away from his family, reports said.
When police interviewed Mathis on August 31, Mathis admitted to engaging in inappropriate behavior with the victim. He said it had only happened for approximately a year, reports said.
He also admitted to some of the behaviors the victim detailed, reports said.
Mathis has been charged with 5 counts of child molesting as a level one felony and 3 counts of child molesting as a level four felony.
The probable cause affidavit states Mathis is a softball coach.
UPDATE: In March 2023, Mathis was sentenced to 40 years for one count of child molesting and 40 years for a second count of child molesting. These charges will be served concurrently at the Indiana Department of Correction. The other six counts of child molesting were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.