Bond lowered for former soccer coach charged with molesting boy

ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — A former college soccer coach charged with molesting a young boy had his bond lowered on Monday.

Darrin Jordan, the attorney for 69-year-old Ralph Wager, filed a motion in Rowan County to reduce Wager's bond.

Judge David Lee agreed Monday afternoon, dropping it from $1 million to $400,000 and house arrest.

Cameras were not allowed inside the courtroom.

Wager was a soccer coach at Catawba College when, prosecutors said, he molested a 10-year-old boy who was in a swim club that practiced at the school.

Prosecutors said the sex abuse happened between 1987 and 1989, and at one point the school even restricted Wager's access to the pool.

Courtroom sources told Eyewitness News that prosecutors brought up two new allegations at the college.

They said one of them involved Wager having contact with a coworker's son and that is what led to his departure from Catawba College in 1990.

There was no explanation why Judge Lee decided to reduce bond.

Assistant district attorney Seth Banks declined to comment on the case.

The new bond also comes with other stipulations. If Wager makes bond, he will be electronically monitored. He will also not be allowed to have contact with the alleged victim or any minors.

Wager faces nine charges, including first-degree child sex offense.

WSOC