Patrick Kugler, a former assistant football coach at Austin Peay, was one of six people arrested on human trafficking-related charges Thursday.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released a statement Thursday revealing that Kugler was arrested on one count of trafficking for sexual servitude, with bail set at $5,000.
The TBI said in a statement: Over a two-day period beginning on August 16, as part of an undercover operation aimed at addressing human trafficking in the Montgomery County area, officers placed several decoy advertisements on websites known to be linked to prostitution and commercial sex.
‘The objective of the operation was to identify people seeking to engage in commercial sexual acts with minors.’
Patrick Kugler, a former assistant football coach at Austin Peay, has been arrested on human trafficking charges.
He added that “seven other people were recovered as possible victims of human trafficking.”
Austin Peay acknowledged the arrest of Kugler, who abruptly resigned from his coaching position on Sunday.
‘Austin Peay State University is aware of the arrest of former assistant football coach Patrick Kugler, who resigned from his position on Sunday, August 18,’ he told WSMV4 in Tennessee.
‘The Clarksville Police Department is the lead arresting authority and any additional questions should be directed to them. Austin Peay will not be commenting further on the matter.’
Kugler, who also previously played for Michigan, appears to have deleted all of his social media accounts following his resignation.
Their page on the school website is also no longer active.
Austin Peay begins its football season on August 31 against the Louisville Cardinals.
