A Peoria High School coach has been arrested for alleged solicitation of a minor.
Daniel C. Ruffin, the head boys basketball coach at Peoria High, was arrested Monday morning. The Peoria Police Department said officers were called to the school and later discovered text messages between the 41-year-old school employee and a 16-year-old female student.
They observed the messages from the teen’s phone and say they determined them to be inappropriate in nature.
Officers interviewed and arrested Ruffin before transporting him to the Peoria County Jail.
Ruffin is a Peoria native and one-time standout men’s basketball player at Bradley University. He was a three-year starter as point guard while the team saw consecutive 22-win seasons.
Ruffin was inducted into the Bradley Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019 for his achievements, including being a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference player.
Peoria Public Schools has not responded to WCBU’s request for comment. Ruffin’s employment status is currently unknown.
The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information regarding any violent crimes is encouraged to contact the Peoria Police Department at (309) 673-4521.