The former Grantsville High football coach arrested and charged in connection with the sexual abuse of two underage female students is now facing an additional felony charge.
Ware, 38, was charged with third-degree felony tampering with a witness during an appearance in 3rd District Court Tuesday afternoon. Ware is also charged with first-degree felony forcible sodomy, three counts of second-degree felony sexual exploitation of a minor, four counts of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse, and four counts of misdemeanor lewdness in the previous case.
Ware pleaded not guilty to all of the charges in the sex abuse case during a Nov. 22 appearance in court.
A warrant was issued for Ware on the tampering charge on Tuesday and he was taken into custody on a no-bail warrant. Ware had posted a $39,720 bond in the sexual abuse case on Nov. 22.
A preliminary hearing in the case was scheduled for Feb. 23 at 9 a.m. before Judge Robert Adkins. The roll call hearing in Ware’s sex abuse case was continued until the Feb. 23 date to follow the preliminary hearing in the tampering case during his Tuesday appearance in court.
According to the Grantsville City Police Department, the victims of the sexual abuse were 16 and 17 years old. The allegations against Ware were brought to the attention of school officials and police; a second juvenile victim was later identified in the investigation.
In interviews with both victims, they described being touched inappropriately and one victim was sexually assaulted, according to the probable cause statement from Grantsville City police.
Ware was employed as an assistant football coach at Stansbury High School from September 2009 through December 2010. He was hired as an assistant football coach at GHS in August 2011 and transferred to the same position at SHS in April 2014.
Ware was hired as the GHS head football coach in February 2015 and was hired as a special education, long-term substitute teacher in August 2015.