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RIPLEY - The athletic director and trainer at Ripley High School was arrested Friday night at a home football game and charged with multiple felonies following an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct involving a 16-year-old female student at the school, officials said.
Steven Lough of Ripley was arrested following an investigation initiated Friday, Jackson County Sheriff R.H. Mellinger said in a Facebook post.
"Investigators determined that Lough recently developed an inappropriate relationship with the student after initially communicating with her concerning an injury," Mellinger said. "The relationship then progressed into sexually explicit text messages, the exchange of intimate photographs and multiple incidents of sexual contact that occurred on school property during October 2026."
Lough as of Friday no longer worked for the school system, Superintendent Will Hosaflook of Jackson County Schools said in a statement also posted on the schools' Facebook page.
"As a parent of a current high school student, my heart aches for the victim and their family, for Mr. Lough's family, and for our entire community. I am deeply disappointed and very concerned that someone I placed in a position of trust violated the fundamental responsibility and ethical standards of our profession. The safety of our students must always come first, and there is no responsibility more important," Hosaflook said.
Investigators obtained consent from both the student and her parents to examine her cellular device and discovered sexually explicit communications between her and Lough, including an image of Lough’s genitalia that he illegally provided to the minor, Mellinger said. Lough accompanied the image with messages stating, “this might help you” and “use it and enjoy it,” according to the sheriff's department post.
Investigators also identified communications arranging meetings between Lough and the student in the athletic training room during school hours, Mellinger said. The juvenile disclosed that multiple sexual encounters occurred inside Lough’s training room and that another incident occurred in a classroom at Ripley High School with the most recent alleged encounter on Oct. 31, according to the sheriff.
Lough Friday night was located at the nearby Ripley High School football game against Nicholas County High School.
He was taken into custody and during an interview admitted to investigators that he engaged in sexual contact with the 16-year-old student on multiple occasions, including incidents in the school’s athletic training room and in a classroom, Mellinger said. Admissions included sexual touching and other sexual acts during at least three separate encounters in October.
Lough also acknowledged exchanging sexually explicit messages and photographs with the juvenile, Mellinger said. Investigators obtained Lough’s consent to examine and extract information from his cellular device where additional communications and photographs corroborated portions of the juvenile’s statements, Mellinger said.
Lough also acknowledged that the final encounter occurred on Oct. 31, Mellinger said.
Lough was charged with three felony counts of sexual intercourse, sexual intrusion or sexual contact against students by school employees and one felony of the use of obscene matter with intent to seduce a minor.
The Jackson County Board of Education and Jackson County Shield Program provided cooperation and aid in the quick investigation and arrest, Mellinger said.
"The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department takes allegations involving the sexual exploitation of children and abuses of positions of trust extremely seriously," Mellinger said. "The safety and protection of our children remain a priority and help re-affirm our commitment to our Shield Program, particularly when allegations involve individuals entrusted with their supervision and well-being."
Others who believe they may have been a victim by Lough are encouraged to contact the department, Mellinger said.
"Jackson County Schools will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement and all appropriate agencies throughout this investigation," Hosaflook said. "We remain committed to protecting our students and supporting our school community."