A former softball coach who worked in the Iredell Public Schools district is facing an indecent liberties charge.

THOMAS PATRICK STRAHAN

Thomas Patrick Strahan, age 58, was arrested on May 18 and was charged with felony indecent liberties with a child.

The charge is a Class F felony carrying a sentence of 10 to 41 months in prison.

A $50,000 secured bond was issued to Strahan. It is unclear at this time whether or not he has been released.

The Iredell-Statesville Public School district has indicated that Strahan was fired after first being suspended with pay, effective May 18, 2022.

Strahan had been the head coach for the Lake Norman High School softball team since 2017. District officials confirmed he was hired on 6/20/17.

A district spokeswoman also said that “all employees in Iredell-Statesville Schools go through a background check upon hiring and continue to be monitored in the system” and that the state board has been notified about Strahan.

Records on file with the State Board of Education show Strahan has an active teaching license:

Date: 05/20/2022 10:02 AM
License Number: 902428 Current 
Name: STRAHAN, THOMAS PATRICK
License Type: Educator
License Status: Current
Expiration Date: 06/30/2024
Effective Date: 07/01/2019
License Area(s): Health and Physical Education, School Administrator: Principal, Physical Education

More information has been requested from the district about Strahan’s employment history.

Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell issued the following statement:

On Tuesday, May 17, 2022, staff members of Lake Norman High School notified the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer (SRO) about a female student at the school who had received a voicemail from Thomas Patrick Strahan talking about a sexual act.

The School Resource Officer notified investigators with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office Special Victim’s Unit.

Special Victim’s Unit Investigators immediately responded to the school. They were able to take statements from various who had learned of the voicemail. The investigators obtained search warrants for Strahan’s social media outlets and telephone records.

School officials were notified of the allegations concerning Strahan, who was a coach for the Lake Norman High School Softball Team. Strahan is not a teacher at Lake Norman High School.

Special Victims Unit Investigators returned to Lake Norman High School today, where they obtained additional information on this matter.

Based on the evidence gathered by investigators, a felony arrest warrant for Thomas Patrick Strahan was applied for by the investigators.

Strahan was arrested by deputies with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Warrant Squad on Wednesday afternoon and taken to the Iredell County Detention Center, where he appeared before Magistrate R. Imes who issued a 50,000.00 dollars secured bond.

This investigation is ongoing, and additional charges are anticipated.