WARSAW — The West Noble volunteer assistant wrestling coach charged with sexual misconduct with a minor, a level 5 felony, was sentenced today, March 9, in Kosciusko Superior Court I.

Kevin Bradley Marsh, 22, 2079 W. Union St., Ligonier, pled guilty to sexual misconduct and entered a plea agreement to lessen his charge to a level 6 felony.

According to court documents Kosciusko officers were notified Feb. 17, 2016 by West Noble officials after receiving information Marsh was having sexual relations with a high school student. Marsh was an assistant wrestling coach at West Noble High and Middle schools.

Police spoke with the female student, who was reportedly 16 years old. She told police she had been having sexual relationships with Marsh since April 2015 and the relations continued through February 2016. She stated they met at the high school in April of 2015, and had began messaging each other.

Police were told the pair met five times between April 1, 2015, through the first week of February 2016, having sex at her residence and one time in Kosciusko County.

Marsh admitted to having the sexual relationship with teenager and knew her age at the time the two meet. He stated he had told her they needed to stop the relationship due to her age and that he was a coach at West Noble Schools.

Deputy prosecuting attorney Katy Hampton advised that even though the victim and her family acknowledged the teen’s role in committing the offense, that “she was too young to give consent” to such behavior.

Marsh’s attorney John Barrett told the courts that Marsh “outright acknowledged” his crime, adding that Marsh didn’t blame the victim for her actions “like her mother did.”

Judge David Cates was slow to accept Marsh’s plea saying, “You don’t take advantage of children. You just don’t do it.”

Cates added that he came close to rejecting the plea, but the victim’s family’s statement and Marsh’s lack of a criminal record pushed Cates to give Marsh a “tremendous break.”

Marsh was sentenced to one year at the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department. This sentence was suspended and will be served on probation. Marsh must complete a Bowen Center evaluation and sign any paperwork necessary for the probation department to be informed of his progress.

Marsh must have no contact with the victim and will not be allowed back on West Noble’s premises.