CHARLESTON, Ill. (WAND) – A former basketball coach who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting minors had a request to withdraw his plea denied in court.
Court records show a Coles County judge denied Barry Wolfe’s request about the plea and a motion to reconsider sentencing. Wolfe was sentenced to 60 years in prison on Aug. 10, 2018 after pleading guilty to four sexual assault charges in June.
Wolfe’s formal motion to withdraw his plea said he “did not knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently plead guilty”. Wolfe and his attorney argued he didn’t know the sexual assault counts meant mandatory consecutive sentences until right before the June hearing where he made his plea.
Former players form the Central Illinois Storm AAU team, which Wolfe coached, testified in court that he sexually abused them. One player said that Wolfe would sexually abuse her after attending her high school basketball games, while another said the abuse began when she was part of the Storm team at age 15 or 16. That player said Wolfe came to her house once when she was home alone.
Records show Wolfe plans to appeal the denial of his request to withdraw the plea.
