Ex-Lacrosse Coach Makes False Claims About Replacement: DA

"Furious" fired coach tells prosecutors he fired off e-mails accusing his replacement & another coach at Lansdale Catholic of sexual misconduct

Montgomery County Prosecutors say a scorned high school lacrosse coach -- angry over losing his job -- sent numerous e-mails to authorities claiming that coaches at his former school sexually solicited students.

Former Lansdale Catholic lacrosse coach Tim Udinski, 43, faces stalking and harassment charges after he allegedly admitted to investigators that he sent seven e-mails alleging sexual misconduct against the school’s football coach and his replacement as lacrosse coach following his firing, according to Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman.

Udinski lost his job at Lansdale Catholic in the middle of the Crusaders’ 2011 season after repeated heated exchanges with players and staff, Ferman said in a press release.

Former Lansdale Catholic lacrosse coach Tim Udinski is charged with harassment and making false claims.

After the firing Udinski was very upset, Principal Tim Quinn told prosecutors.

On Oct. 19, 2011 the Philadelphia Archdiocese received an anonymous tip e-mail claiming that the school’s football coach sexually solicited a player and that Principal Quinn was ignoring the allegations, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors say that on various days in March the Archdiocese received e-mails saying that Udinski’s replacement was previously involved in a sex assault and also one from the anonymous tipster that claimed he would go public if nothing was done.

On March 22 various media outlets also received anonymous tips of alleged wrongdoing at the school, prosecutors said.

On two more dates, both in May, the Archdiocese received anonymous tips that the lacrosse coach was allegedly involved in sexual incidents with players and had even tried to lure some students to the shore with promises of beer. In the e-mails, Principal Quinn was accused of covering up the incidents.

The Archdiocese tipped off county investigators of the claims. After nearly 100 interviews and numerous search warrants -- at a cost of $8,250 to taxpayers -- the allegations were found to be false, Ferman said.

Per the Montco D.A.’s press release:

On June 21, 2012, Detectives went to Udinski’s residence to interview him about this case. Udinski admitted to sending the seven anonymous e-mails to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Udinski stated that all the complaints were untrue. He admitted he specifically targeted the Lansdale Catholic football coach and lacrosse coach. Udinski told detectives that he made these false reports because, “I was mad at the school for the way I was treated. I was just furious.”

Prosecutors say that Udinski was himself the target of unfounded accusations while he coached at the school.

Udinski was arraigned Tuesday morning on six total counts. His bail was set at $25,000, according to court records.

The Archdiocese released this statement Tuesday afternoon:

Lansdale Catholic High School and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia take all allegations of abuse seriously.  Each of these allegations, as is our practice, was immediately reported to law enforcement. Lansdale Catholic High School President Jim Casey expressed the school’s gratitude to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. "We want to thank District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman and the detectives who spent countless hours working on these cases," said Casey. "We are grateful for their diligence and concern for our students."


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