CT Coach Accused Of Trying To Get Nude Photos From Players Sentenced

VERNON, CT — A Connecticut youth basketball coach accused of trying to obtain illicit photos of players in an online charade has been sentenced.

Tolland State's Attorney Matthew C. Gedansky said that Zachary Vannais, 28, previously of Coventry, was sentenced Friday in Rockville Superior Court on two counts of risk of injury to a minor, two counts of enticing a minor and two counts of misrepresentation of age to entice a minor for a "total effective sentence of 10 years in prison, suspended after four years served.

His sentence is to be followed by 10 years probation and he will also be required to register as a sexual offender in Connecticut, Gedansky said.

Vannais' sentencing follows his arrest in March 2020 in connection with multiple incidents occurring from November 2019 through January 2020, in the town of Coventry, where Vannais served as a basketball and baseball coach for the town's recreation department.

According to court records, Vannais created a fake social media account to pose as a high school-aged girl. He then contacted eight students who played on his team, soliciting nude photographs, according to case records. In some of the instances, he would offer to pay or provide gifts if the victims sent him nude photographs, according to court records.

All but one victim was younger than 16 at the time, Gedansky said.

The players became alarmed by the solicitations and alerted their parents and later called the Coventry Police Department, Gedansky said. Vannais admitted to Coventry Police that he did use a fake account to solicit the images from the players he coached, case records show.

The Coventry Police Department later executed a search and seizure warrant on Vannais' cell phone and "confirmed the crimes on his social media account," Gedansky said.

"This case highlights the risks associated with young people, predators and social media," said Supervisory Assistant State's Attorney Jaclyn Preville, who prosecuted the case. "More importantly, however, it highlights the fact that sexual offenders can hold themselves out to be pillars of the community, gaining the trust and confidence of children and parents alike. The children who were victimized by Mr. Vannais, and their families, should be commended for the courage it took to come forward and report these incidents. It can often be difficult to report cases of sexual abuse and grooming, and the bravery of these families cannot be understated."