The former Grantsville High School football coach accused of sexual abuse of two female students and tampering with a witness is facing additional felony charges.
This time it’s for allegedly asking fellow jail inmates to threaten or hurt a victim to not testify against him in court — and he would pay them to do it.
Curtis Lee Ware, 48, appeared in court on Monday on charges of third-degree felony obstructing justice and third-degree felony criminal solicitation.
Charges of 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 were filed against Ware last November. He was arrested last September after Grantsville City police were notified of the sexual abuse by the Tooele County School District and two victims, aged 16 and 17, were identified.
Ware was charged with third-degree felony tampering with a witness on Feb. 14 after he allegedly had contact with a victim in the sexual abuse case to persuade the victim to lie to police and say the charges were made up.
During a June 6 court appearance, Ware pleaded not guilty to all charges in the sexual abuse and witness tampering cases.
The Grantsville City police detective in the previous sexual abuse and witness tampering cases was contacted by the victim regarding Ware on Aug. 30, according to the police report. The victim said a friend’s uncle had recently left jail and said Ware had asked him to track the victim down and “hurt or threaten her so she would not testify against him,” the report said.
The victim was concerned for her safety as Ware had previously told her that he had people watching her, the report said.
Grantsville City police contacted the uncle of the victim’s friend, who had allegedly spoken with Ware about harming or threatening the victim in the case, the report said.
The friend’s uncle said Ware had asked him and other inmates to track down the victim and scare or hurt her, and would pay anyone who did, according to the report. He also said he told Ware not to go through with his plan, as the victim was friends with his niece.
In a second interview, the friend’s uncle said Ware had made the offer to inmates in his holding cell and during transportation to court, the report said. He said one of his fellow inmates said he would do what Ware asked, because he wanted the money.
The friend’s uncle said Ware did not say how much money was offered but it would be cash and paid by someone outside the jail, the report said. He said many inmates were talking about the offer and Ware made it to anyone who was getting out of jail soon who could do it.
When asked if any other inmates would be willing to speak about Ware’s offer, the friend’s uncle said he knew several people who heard the same thing but didn’t know if they would talk, according to the police report. He said some of the inmates may have heard of the offer from other inmates and not Ware directly.
Ware appeared on the obstructing justice and criminal solicitation charges in 3rd District Court on Monday and Judge Robert Adkins set no bail in the case. Ware is scheduled to appear back in court on Oct. 10 at 9 a.m. before Adkins.