Former Melrose coach arrested, charged

CMI staff

A former Melrose contract coach has been arrested and charged in connection with an unlawful relationship with a student, according to a press release from the Curry County Sheriff’s Office.

Allison Draper, 28, of Melrose, was charged Tuesday with one count of criminal sexual penetration of a minor and five counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor.

Draper, formerly Allison Cochran, was a 2004 graduate of Melrose High School and coached volleyball at the school.link

She was booked into the Curry County Detention Center and is being held on a $25,000 cash/surety bond, the press release stated.

Superintendent Jamie Widner said the alleged victim is a 15-year-old girl who attends the school. He said her family and Draper’s families know each other, and it’s likely the two met long before they would have been introduced through school.

An unrelated investigation began Feb. 10 into reports of an unlawful relationship between a Melrose schools contract coach and a student, officials have said. The coach in question, who has not been named, terminated his employment on that date.

During the course of that investigation, allegations were made against Draper, who had terminated her employment with Melrose schools in December. Widner said her resignation was for personal reasons.

Both investigations are active and ongoing, according to the press release. Undersheriff Wesley Waller declined to give further details about the investigation.

Widner said he doesn’t believe there is any policy change Melrose schools need to adopt.

“When we interview people, we try to vet them,” Widner said. “Both of these people went through background checks and they have PED (Public Education Department) coaching licenses. We interview pretty tough and we vet pretty deeply."