Head Coach Speaks Out After Losing Job From Series of Lies

You Couldn’t Even Make This Up

By: Jon Butchko

On June 25, 2021, I was making preparations for my fourth season as the Head Football Coach at Edgewood High School in Ashtabula (my 7^th overall), when a situation that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy happened upon me.

After a 15-hour day coaching and working some side jobs, I returned to my house, where my live-in girlfriend and her kids were and a one-sided argument broke out. By nature of what I do and did for a living, I know that any interaction with the police is viewed very critically.

That’s exactly what happened, my house was “SWATed”, meaning a 911 call from across town, alleging a serious situation was taking place, the police responded and this woman, whose cousin was the mystery caller, lied to the police.

I couldn’t even believe what was happening as I was handcuffed and taken to jail, I shook my head in disbelief to the officer who was taking my cellphone from me as I was showing him my CashApp card was being used, and as I laid in jail for 4 days I experienced every emotion that could be felt. I was arraigned and released and essentially my 12-year-old daughter and I were homeless, over a lie.

The hardest part of everything after the initial incident was that nobody has seemed to be very interested in what the truth of the matter actually is or was.

Of course a Head Coach being arrested is front page news and it was, but the actual facts that comprise my personal and professional life were much more complicated than what many people have read.

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