Former Shawnee Coach Found Guilty Of Soliciting Sexual Contact With A Minor

Editors Note: Arthur was sentenced to five years in prison, five years supervised release, and $3500 in fines on February 21, 2024.

Ron Arthur, a former coach and athletic director with Shawnee High School has been found guilty of sexual contact with a minor by the use of technology.

The jury recommended a sentence of five years in prison and a $3,500 fine. Arthur was handcuffed in the courtroom and will be sentenced on February 7, 2024.

The Ron Arthur Trial

Testimony resumed in the trial against a former athletic director and coach at Shawnee High School. Ron Arthur is accused of using technology to solicit sex with one of his students. On Thursday, prosecutors revealed information pulled from his devices.

According to testimony and data pulled from the defendant’s phone and other devices, that information included his search history during the time he was being investigated. The defendant is charged with sex crimes against a 17-year-old student. However, about a dozen other victims have come forward including Robert Hair, who is also a state’s witness.

“It's difficult for me,” Hair said. “It displays the pattern, the same type of grooming that was, that happened to me.”

The prosecution showed a video of investigators interviewing Arthur back in 2021, where he admitted to using the app Grindr for “hookups” and to contact “former students.” Arthur has maintained his innocence. In the video, he told investigators he wanted to be a positive influence on others and admits he took some students under his wing to be a mentor to them.

Through information extracted from his device, investigators testified they found Arthur trying to contact the plaintiff two days after he graduated from high school. Prosecutors also detailed information investigators found on Arthur’s devices during the investigation, including searches such as “Can an app be deleted from another device,” Can you “transfer Grindr chats to a new phone” and “Can you delete Grindr if police have your phone” On the stand an investigator testified they didn’t find the Grindr app on Arthur’s phone but did find an account by using his email address. Hair said he hoped the case would bring closure to the victims.

“I hope that what this brings out is a chance for victims who may be out there to tell their story and to let them know that you have support, and you have people that will be in your corner that you may not know of, but they'll be there,” said Hair.

Inside the courtroom, Wednesday, the prosecution established a pattern of behavior from Arthur, which they say has gone on for years. "I think the defense is trying to piece together the typical locker room behavior," said Robert Hair, a former Shawnee High School student.

But for Hair, this wasn't any locker room behavior. Hair, one of the state's witnesses, says Arthur began grooming him 15 years ago. "Touching me, touching my hands, lots of explicit things said to me," said Hair.

A dozen victims have come forward with these accounts, some taking the stand and others sending in statements.

The only plaintiff in this case is a 17-year-old male. "There are other people that have to grapple with this that knew what was happening," said Senator Shane Jett. 

Senator Jett sat inside the courtroom listening to statements. "Seeing for the very first time the perpetrator that hurt so many kids was chilling," said Senator Jett.

If Arthur is found guilty, he could be fined up to 10 thousand dollars or put in jail for up to 10 years.

The Background:

Ron Arthur is accused of sexual misconduct with students and investigators say abuse allegations span more than a decade.

Related Story: Shawnee Hs Assistant Athletic Director Charged With Sex Crimes

In 2018 there was a Title 9 investigation into Arthur’s behavior and he was suspended several times between 2007 and 2008.

Related Story: Shawnee Assistant Athletic Director Resigns Amid Allegations Of Sexual Misconduct

"This wasn't a first offense. It was multiple offenses that spread over a 15-year period," said Oklahoma Senator Shane Jett in 2022.

A former student told News 9 he and his teammates were approached by school board members about Arthur and told to keep quiet.

"They told us to not talk about it. Not tell anybody what was going on," said the former student.

Investigators said text messages on Arthur’s phone confirmed to them that he had multiple victims.

"Seeing the text messages I have seen, it made me physically sick to my stomach," said Amber Soule with the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office.

In 2022, prosecutors dropped rape and forcible sodomy charges but the soliciting sexual contact with a minor through technology charge remains.

Related Story: 2 Charges Dropped For Former Shawnee Assistant Athletic Director Accused Of Sexual Misconduct