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Parent says he complained about coach arrested on child porn charges in Salem [The Roanoke Times, Va.](Roanoke Times (Roanoke, VA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) March 26--Salem police have arrested a man in connection to an incident in which a young girl was recorded by a hidden camera in a bathroom. According to a news release, Salem police arrested Dewayne Thomas Barger, 37, of Salem, on Friday. He is charged with four counts of possession of child pornography. According to the release, someone called police on March 17 after discovering a covert recording device in the bathroom of a home. The person who called police turned over the device. Investigators found what the release said was digital video images of a nude girl under the age of 18 that had been recorded on four occasions. Police said the victim was unaware she was being recorded. Salem spokesman Mike Stevens said Barger was a volunteer assistant volleyball coach at Salem High School from 2006 to 2011. Barger was never a paid employee of the Salem school system, but Stevens said a background check was performed before he began coaching. The check turned up no red flags. Kevin DeGidio, of Salem, said his daughter played for Barger on local travel team NRV Juniors. DeGidio said he filed complaints about Barger's behavior to the director of NRV Juniors and to Old Dominion Region Volleyball, a governing body, more than a year ago. He said Barger sent his daughter, who was 14 when she began playing for the coach, incessant text messages until being told to stop. DeGidio said he complained to the ODR a year and a half ago when Barger began requiring players on the team to attend a practice at Green Ridge Recreation Center. At these practices, DeGidio said, the players and Barger got in a pool and practiced water aerobics. DeGidio said his complaints to the NRV Juniors went unaddressed. He said his daughter was banned from the club in April 2012 following the complaints. In the fall, they were once again told his daughter wouldn't be allowed to play for NRV Juniors in the current season. Calls to NRV Juniors have not yet been returned. Barger is being held without bond at the Roanoke County-Salem Jail, according to the release. The investigation is ongoing. ___ (c)2013 The Roanoke Times (Roanoke, Va.) Visit The Roanoke Times (Roanoke, Va.) at www.roanoke.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |