Michael Eugene Noel - Indicted Federal Charges Child Porn

A former coach and teacher at Clinch School, charged with sexual misconduct involving two male juveniles, has been indicted and arrested on federal child pornography charges.

Michael Eugene Noel was named in a three count indictment handed down February 12 by a federal grand jury.

Noel, 36, 718 Hollis Street, Kingsport, was charged June 28, 2007 by the Kingsport Police Department with aggravated sexual battery, sexual battery by an authority figure, solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor and attempt to commit especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor.

He was dismissed by the Hawkins County Board of Education following the arrest.

The first count of the federal indictment alleges Noel "did knowingly receive child pornography" from March 2006 until June 2007.

The second count, covering the same time frame, alleges he possessed a computer "containing an image of child pornography."

The third count of the federal indictment claims from June 20, 2007 until June 28, 2007 Noel "did corruptly obstruct and impede, or endeavor to influence, obstruct and impede" the criminal case "by damaging and attempting to destroy two CPU towers and computer accessories, all of which was evidence of crime, and by concealing other evidence of crime."

According to a KPD news release, on June 21, 2007, the department received a report that Noel, a basketball coach at Clinch, participated in inappropriate sexual conduct with two male students he coached.

“Some of the incidents occurred while some of the team members attended a sleepover at his home in Sullivan County,” the release, issued by Detective Melanie Adkins, states.

The charges are based on events that reportedly occurred the weekend of June 16,2007, and in June 2006.

Authorities allege in the most recent incident, the coach “forced a 13-year-old male to sexually arouse him by participating in behavior in which the child made intimate sexual conduct” and that he solicited the same boy and a 15-year-old boy “to perform sexual acts.”

The charges claim Noel engaged in similar behavior with the 13-year-old, then 12, in June 2006.

“Mr. Noel provided a statement in which he admitted to the offenses,” Adkins wrote.

Noel was free on a $50,000 bond when arrested on the federal charges. He is in federal custody pending an arraignment and detention hearing to be held February 19.