UNION MILLS, Ind. — A South Central High School volleyball coach is charged with 26 felony counts of child exploitation, the LaPorte County Sheriff's Office said. The two-month investigation began with a tip from Snapchat.
Deputies arrested Paul R. Fasshauer, 46, on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Each count is a Level 4 felony, according to the sheriff's release as published by WKVI and 95.3 MNC.
Key facts
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Accused | Paul R. Fasshauer, 46, Union Mills | Sheriff's release via 95.3 MNC |
| Charges | 26 counts of child exploitation, all Level 4 felonies | Sheriff's release via WKVI, MNC, WNDU |
| Arrested | Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026 | Sheriff's release |
| Role | Volleyball coach, South Central High School; CBS Chicago reported he coaches the varsity girls' team | CBS Chicago; The Times |
| School action | Unpaid administrative leave; barred from district property | South Central Schools via CBS Chicago |
| Tip | Snapchat report to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, May 2026 | Sheriff's release |
How the case started
In May, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children got a report from Snapchat about online activity involving suspected child sexual abuse material, the sheriff's office said. That CyberTip went to the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Sheriff's ICAC detectives took the tip in July. Over about two months, they worked to identify the person tied to the activity, gathered more evidence and built probable cause for an arrest, according to the release.
The arrest
Deputies assigned to the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested Fasshauer on County Road 600 West near County Road 1000 South, 95.3 MNC reported from the release.
Detectives from the sheriff's Criminal Investigations Division then searched his nearby home under a warrant.
The sheriff's office credited ICAC Detectives Alex Pishkur and Derrick Deck. The U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Indiana State Police and Michigan City Police Department assisted.
What the school district said
Fasshauer coaches the varsity girls' volleyball team at South Central High School in Union Mills, CBS Chicago reported Oct. 7. The Times of Northwest Indiana also identified him as a South Central volleyball coach.
South Central Schools said he is on unpaid administrative leave and is not allowed on district property, according to CBS Chicago.
"Coach Ashley Rinker will assume the role of interim head coach for the varsity volleyball team. Coach Rinker has been our head volleyball coach previously for several years and was an assistant coach presently. The LaPorte County Sheriff's Office will be releasing additional details regarding this matter," the district said, as quoted by CBS Chicago.
What parents are being told
The sheriff's office urged parents and guardians to stay involved in their children's online activity, talk regularly about internet safety and report suspicious or inappropriate online conduct involving minors.
The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is a nationwide network of federal, state and local agencies that investigates technology-facilitated crimes against children, the release said.
What's next
Court information was not immediately available, CBS Chicago reported. None of the published reports listed a hearing date.
Fasshauer is presumed innocent. Arrests and criminal charges are accusations, and the state must prove them in court.
Photo credit
¹ LaPorte County Courthouse, La Porte — photo by Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for web; this copy is shared under the same license. Illustrative; not connected to the case. ² Water Street business district, Union Mills — photo by Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for web; this copy is shared under the same license. Illustrative; not connected to the case. ³ LaPorte County Courthouse from Lincolnway — photo by Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons_5-24-14_099.jpg), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for web; this copy is shared under the same license. Illustrative; not connected to the case.
