Andre Barbins. (Maryland State Police)
The longtime swimming coach at a Maryland college has been arrested on child pornography charges.
Andre Barbins, 45, was charged Friday with one count of child pornography and one count of displaying obscene matter to a minor, the Maryland State Police said in a press release.
Barbins, of Solomons, has been the head coach of the men’s and women’s swimming teams and the acquatics center director at St. Mary’s College for the past 18 years, according to the school’s website.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. He Is Accused of Sexually Exploiting a Child in Illinois
(Facebook)
Andre Barbins was arrested after an investigation by the Maryland Internet Crimes Section and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, state police say.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois began the investigation after they received a report of a sexual exploitation of a child.
“Upon investigating the report, indecent communications were discovered through a social media website between the victim and a male subject who was over the age of 18,” the sheriff’s office said. Investigators identified Barbins as a suspect.
The Illinois investigators passed the case on to Maryland after determining Barbins lived there.
Computer crimes investigators, state troopers and the Department of Homeland Security served a search and seizure warrant at Barbins’ Calvert County home on February 12, police said.
They seized “various digital media storage devices,” which investigators said contained images of child pornography.
“Barbins confessed to authorities of having contacted the Knox County Illinois juvenile victim as well as several other juveniles committing similar offenses,” police said.
St. Mary’s College said in a statement “it is taking all steps necessary to protect the safety of its campus and community, and is cooperating fully with law enforcement. Assistant Coach Hattie Schiavone has assumed coaching duties. As with all personnel matters, the College is unable to provide further comment.”
2. He Is Married & Has 2 Young Daughters
(Facebook)
Barbins is married and has two daughters, according to his biography on the St. Mary’s website.
Both his daughters are young, according to photos on his Facebook page.
Barbins was arrested in 2009 and charged with driving while impaired by alcohol in March 2009, according to The Chesapeake Today.
He was pulled over by the Maryland State Police in Calvert County. He pleaded guilty in August 2009 and received probation and paid a $192.50 fine.
3. He Is a Cleveland Native & Graduated From Ohio Wesleyan University
(Facebook)
Barbins is a Cleveland native and a 1993 graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, according to the St. Mary’s website.
While at Ohio Wesleyan he was a four-year member of the swimming team and a captain for the Battling Bishops. He then worked for one season as the head coach at Regina High School in Euclid, Ohio, and as an assistant coacha t Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
After earning his master’s degree in psychology at Washington College in Maryland, he spent a year as an assistant coach at the University of the South in Tennessee before being hired by St. Mary’s.
4. He Has Been the Conference Coach of the Year 5 Times While at St. Mary’s
(St. Mary’s College)
Barbins has a career record of 184-158-2 as the men’s and women’s swimming coach at St. Mary’s, which is a Division III school.
He was named the Capital Athletic Conference Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year four times, in 2012, 2009, 2008 and 2004. He also was named the men’s coach of the year in 2011.
In 2014 he wrote about his time as a Division III coach for the school’s website.
“Over the past twenty-plus years, I have had the pleasure and the great responsibility of working with hundreds of highly motivated student-athletes,” Barbins wrote. “I understand the talent level and speed is even higher at the Division I level; however, I would stack up the competitive spirit and drive I have witnessed with anyone at any level.
“I want to sincerely thank all those I have had the honor of both competing with and coaching over the past two decades during the course of my adult life in Division III athletics.”
5. Barbins Is Being Held in Jail While Awaiting a Hearing
(Facebook)
Barbins was arrested without incident and was taken to the Calvert County Detention Center, where he is being held pending a hearing before the District Court Commissioner, police said.
The Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children task force “is comprised of police agencies from around the state. Its primary mission is to protect children from computer-facilitated sexual exploitation. The task force works cooperatively with law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to provide resources to combat these crimes. Additionally, the task force provides community awareness campaigns helping to prevent the spread of these crimes through education.”
The Department of Homeland Security assisted in the investigation, but Barbins is not yet facing federal charges.
“This case is an excellent example of cooperation by various law enforcement agencies producing a successful conclusion,” the Knox County Sheriff’s Office said.
