A high school football coach in California was arrested after students discovered a secretly placed cellphone recording them in a school locker room. The incident took place at Tracy High School, located east of San Francisco. The phone belonged to Jeffrey Pribble, a 48-year-old teacher and the school’s varsity football head coach, according to the Tracy Police Department.
The students found the phone on Thursday while it was recording inside the locker room. They stopped the recording, deleted the video, and handed the device over to a teacher. Later that evening, a concerned parent contacted Tracy police, prompting an investigation by school resource officers and detectives.
The next day, officers confirmed the phone’s ownership belonged to Pribble, leading to his arrest. Pribble, who has 22 years of educational experience in the district and has been a coach for five years, was placed on leave by the Tracy Unified School District pending criminal and district investigations.
Tracy High School Principal Jon Waggle addressed the matter in an email to parents. While the school did not disclose the teacher’s name or specific allegations, it assured full cooperation with the police. Waggle emphasized the school’s commitment to student safety and professional standards.
Tracy Police Chief Sekou Millington reiterated the importance of student safety and privacy, highlighting the department’s dedication to maintaining a secure environment for children. Millington praised both the students who reported the incident and the officers who conducted the investigation promptly.
The Tracy Unified School District stated that Pribble will remain on leave while the investigation continues. They expressed gratitude to the students who reported the incident and the officers who swiftly carried out the investigation.