By Renatta Signorini

Published: Thursday, September 8, 2011

A former Kittanning High School girls tennis coach pleaded guilty Wednesday in Butler County Court to groping a teenage female, said District Attorney Richard Goldinger.

Dennis Lee Zellefrow, 63, of Johnston Avenue, Kittanning, entered a plea yesterday to corruption of minors and indecent assault, Goldinger said. Zellefrow will be sentenced in October.

The defendant was arrested in December on accusations of inappropriately touching a player during a November practice at Lakevue Racquet Club in Middlesex Township, Butler County.

The teenage female victim reported to police that during a practice session Zellefrow groped her multiple times while showing her proper body positioning for playing tennis. The rest of the team members attending the practice were in a different area of the building, the victim told police.

About 4:30 p.m., Zellefrow allegedly followed the victim into a hallway and attempted to show her how to serve a tennis ball when he placed her hand on the crotch area of his sweatpants, according to court documents. Twice more, the victim reported to police, Zellefrow pulled the female aside and touched her inappropriately.

On Nov. 22, Zellefrow admitted to state police during an interview that he was "physically attracted to the victim" and became aroused while teaching her positioning for playing tennis, police said. He corroborated the victim's account, telling police that he touched her and made her touch him while at practice.

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