Former Tate Football Coach, Sunday School Teacher Arrested for Child Sex Abuse

By Hayley Minogue and J.B. Biunno
News 5
March 20, 2017

http://wkrg.com/2017/03/29/breaking-former-tate-football-coach-arrested-for-child-sex-abuse/

[with video]

A former high school football coach and Sunday school teacher has been arrested for prolonged sexual abuse of multiple young boys.

Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies say Charlie Mabern Hamrick, 54, is charged with 36 counts of capital sexual assault on a victim under the age of 12, providing obscene material to minors, and lewd and lascivious behavior on victims under the age of 12 and victims ranging in age from 12 to 16. Hamrick is the former football coach at Tate High School and the director of a local boy’s group at a church in Cantonment.

According to the arrest report obtained by News 5, Hamrick is accused of engaging in sexual acts with young boys at his home — sometimes with his wife present — and on the boat at his beach house in Pensacola.

One victim, a boy 8 to 11 years-old at the time of the abuse, told deputies that Hamrick was his Sunday school teacher at Pine Forest United Methodist Church. The boy was invited to Hamrick’s home to spend time with Hamrick’s children, who were around the same age as him.

When the two were alone, the victim alleges Hamrick would perform oral sex on him, and then he would perform the act on Hamrick in the living room or den. The victim says Hamrick encouraged him to touch his genitals, sometimes under a blank in the living room with Hamrick’s wife present.

The young victim says they would never talk during or after the sexual abuse. It allegedly happened about once a month for three to four years, from 1997 to 2000.

In one later incident, the victim was visiting Hamrick’s beach house in Pensacola with his mother. On Hamrick’s boat, the victim says Hamrick began touching his genitals. When the victim’s mother returned, she saw Hamrick’s hand down her son’s pants. Hamrick was reportedly extremely apologetic, saying it only happened that one time.

Deputies say the mother went to Hamrick’s church and spoke to a pastor who ensured that Hamrick would never work with children again. However when the victim began hearing of more stories that Hamrick was sexually abusing young children, he came forward to police. That happened on March 21, 2017, about 17 years after the alleged abuse took place.

Another victim stated that he would go to Hamrick’s home to go fishing and ride four-wheelers. When on the back of the four-wheelers and Hamrick in the driver’s seat, Hamrick allegedly pushed the boys hands downwards into his crotch. Hamrick allegedly told the boy to grab his erect penis, saying it was the safest way to ride. This story was corroborated by other victims who visited Hamrick on his property.

Other instances took place at Tate High School, Hamrick’s former place of employment. Hamrick sought permission to show a group of young boys “educational videos” having to do with puberty. However, after showing the boys the educational video, he would play additional videos showing explicit sexual acts between men and women, and men masturbating.

Hamrick faces capital felonies that carry a possible sentence of life behind bars.