Los Lunas coach accused of exchanging explicit messages with teen
Jul. 17—ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico State Police arrested a Los Lunas High School coach accused of exchanging sexually explicit messages, videos and photos with a 15-year-old student.
Johnathon Bindues is charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, a third-degree felony, and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a fourth-degree felony.
The 30-year-old was booked into the Valencia County Detention Center on Saturday morning. A criminal complaint has not been filed.
State Police said Bindues is the girls track and basketball coach at Los Lunas High. In 2019, according to the school's website, he was named girls track Coach of the Year.
Dusty Francisco, a State Police spokesman, said the girl's mother discovered her daughter had been "sexually communicating" with Bindues.
He said investigators learned that, between June 13 and 15, Bindues asked the teen to send him photos and videos of her and the pair exchanged sexually explicit content.
Francisco said agents confirmed the phone numbers belonged to the girl and Bindues. He said State Police searched the teen's school-issued laptop and found numerous nude photos and videos of the girl.
An arrest warrant was issued for the coach on Thursday and State Police arrested him early Saturday morning at a Los Lunas home.
"This case is on-going investigation by the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau," Francisco said.
