Michigan Youth Soccer Coach Indicted on Federal Charges Involving Minor
Authorities allege online communication with a minor led to interstate travel; defendant held pending trial
FLINT, Mich. — A youth soccer coach from Holly, Michigan has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to the alleged transportation of a minor across state lines and attempting to persuade a minor to engage in unlawful activity, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr., along with officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit Field Office.
Chason Pointer, 42, of Grand Blanc, Michigan, is charged in the case.
According to court records, investigators allege the defendant communicated with a minor online and later traveled from Michigan to Ohio, where the minor lived, before bringing the minor back to Michigan. Authorities say the investigation also found prior travel between the two states and ongoing communication through a social media platform.
On April 10, 2026, a federal magistrate judge in Flint ordered the defendant held pending trial, citing concerns about community safety. Pointer has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Federal officials say the case highlights ongoing concerns about online interactions involving minors and efforts to identify and stop those accused of exploiting children.
Anyone with information related to the investigation, or who may have had contact with the defendant through youth soccer in the Holly area, is asked to contact the FBI Detroit Field Office at 313-965-2323 or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.
The FBI’s Flint office investigated the case with assistance from the Fenton Police Department and Sylvania Township, Ohio Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant Newman.
An indictment is a formal charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.