RACINE COUNTY -- A Racine County father is outraged his step-daughter's former fitness coach, may no longer face felony charges.
Court records accuse 35-year-old Joshua Maney of sending lewd text messages to a 17-year-old girl. Maney was a fitness coach at the former CrossFit Consumed in Waukesha.
It was the victim's step-father, Ryne Cooper, who brought this all to law enforcements' attention. He is the one investigators say intercepted messages the victim called "creepy"
"Reading the messages, I knew where it was going," Cooper said. "I watch enough Dateline with Chris Hansen to know where it was going, so I just continued the conversation with him."
Investigators claim Maney thought he was sexting his 17-year-old fitness client, which included nude photos of himself. Instead, it was her step-father, reading those texts.
The step-father says police then stepped in. He says he continually pushed for the suspect to be charged with felonies, which he was.
He claims to have been informed last week, Maney plans to make a plea agreement to lesser charges.
"They told me they were just going to charge him with misdemeanors," explained Cooper.
TODAY'S TMJ4 reached out to the Racine County District Attorney, who tells us they cannot comment on ongoing cases. We also reached out to the suspect's defense attorney in this case, and they also told us they have no comment.
Maney's plea agreement date is set to happen June 29.
