LANSING - Attorney General Mike Cox today announced the arrest of youth soccer coach Kevin John Wolters of Holland and youth wrestling coach Lee Deryck Vanbeek of Marysville, Michigan, for using the Internet to solicit a minor for sexual acts and disseminate sexually explicit matter to a minor.

"It is crucial that Michigan's children be protected from Internet predators before they strike," said Cox.  "Today's announcement reminds parents to be vigilant, because Internet predators can be found anywhere."

Officers of the Michigan Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, operated by the Michigan State Police, arrested Wolters, 35, a part-time boys and girls soccer coach in Holland on Monday, April 2.  Wolters is expected to be arraigned this afternoon at 58^th District Court in Grand Haven on 2 counts of using the Internet to solicit or accost a minor for immoral purposes, a 10-year felony.

This morning, Attorney General investigators arrested Vanbeek, 32, a part-time middle school wrestling coach of a Port Huron area school for chatting online with who he thought was a 14-year-old girl that he met in a chatroom.  Vanbeek allegedly engaged in graphic sexual conversation with an undercover agent and propositioned the agent, who was posing as the 14-year-old girl, to watch a sexually explicit act.  Vanbeek was arrested this morning at Vision Adult Foster Care, 874 Carney Street, St. Clair, where he is alleged to have worked.

Parents are encouraged to check their children's "buddy lists" for the screen name Wolters used (editor's note: due to inappropriate screen name, please contact the Attorney General's office at 517-373-8060 for more information) and the screen name Vanbeek used including "hardworkinmustangman13."  If they believe their child had contact with Wolters and/or Vanbeek, parents should contact the Attorney General's office at (313) 456-0180.

            A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.  

Since its restructuring, Cox's Child and Public Protection Unit has arrested 129 Internet sexual predators.  Attorney General Cox encourages parents to visit www.michigan.gov/ag for tips on safe Internet usage for children.  Citizens can also report suspected Internet child predators via the Report Internet Abuses Against Children link or by calling the Child and Public Protection Unit at (313) 456-0180.