Former Winona HS Coach Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Students

Winona, MN (KROC-AM News) - A former southeastern Minnesota high school girls track coach accused of sexually assaulting four students was sentenced this morning in Winona County Court.

Investigation Opened in January 2024

Thirty-two-year-old Eric Dione Birth was charged with six counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a person in a position of authority and one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. Just before his trial was set to begin in January, Birth entered into a plea agreement and admitted to three counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Court Documents Detail Allegations

Court documents state that Winona police began investigating Birth in January 2024 after a woman contacted investigators and told them she had been sexually assaulted by her high school track coach and physical education teacher. The criminal complaint says the victim stated that the sexual assaults began in 2022 after she spoke to Birth about relationship problems with her mother.

Multiple Victims Came Forward

Winona police were then contacted by a second victim a few weeks later. The criminal complaint says she told investigators that Birth sexually assaulted her in the summer of 2016 while she was a member of the Winona High School girls track team. The woman, who was 16 years old at the time of the alleged assaults, also told investigators that she had spoken to Birth about family relationship issues.

According to court documents, a third victim contacted police a little over a week after the second victim came forward. The criminal complaint says she told investigators that she was 17 years old when she spoke with Birth about a difficult family situation and he began sexually assaulting her in the spring of 2017. The third victim also told investigators that Birth recorded video of at least one of the sexual assaults, and the video was seen by two other members of the Winona High School girls track team the following year.

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A fourth victim came forward in February 2024. The criminal complaint in that case says the woman told police that she was 17 years old when Birth began sexually assaulting her in the fall of 2017. She was also a member of the Winona High School girls track team at the time.

Former Coach Sentenced to Prison

Birth was sentenced today to 48 months in prison, although he will be eligible for release after serving 32 months if he earns credit for good behavior. He will also be on probation for 10 years following the completion of his prison sentence.