Volleyball coach, 22, accused of raping one of his 15-year-old players at the all-girls Catholic high school where he taught kills himself hours after he pleaded not guilty in court
- Jason Maser “intentionally” stepped in front of a Long Island Rail Road train in Syosset, about 30 miles east of New York City, on Friday evening around 10:30 p.m. According to police, a suicide note was left behind
A 22-year-old volleyball coach at an affluent Long Island high school was found dead Friday evening after posting $75,000 bail following allegations that he raped a 15-year-old student.
Jason Maser “intentionally” stepped in front of a Long Island Rail Road train in Syosset, about 30 miles east of New York City, on Friday evening around 10:30 p.m. According to police, a suicide note was left behind.
On Friday morning, he was charged with rape, sex acts and endangering the welfare of a minor. The victim is a student at Sacred Heart Academy and was coached by Maser at the B&B Volleyball Club.
Maser was arrested 24 hours earlier at the home he shares with his parents. The attacks occurred on Feb. 7 and March 7 in his Jeep Cherokee, police said. After posting his bail, he was ordered to stay away from his victim.
In April he had to appear in court again, where he could have received a prison sentence of up to four years.
According to an online profile, Maser was a volleyball star at Syosset High School. After his arrest he was immediately suspended of USA Volleyball.
Jason Maser posted bail Friday morning after being accused of raping a minor hours before killing himself as he stepped in front of a LIRR train
Maser was a volleyball coach here, at Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead, New York
His attorney, John Carman, said Newsday that Maser was a part-time teacher at Sacred Heart.
Carman said Maser’s family is “devastated.” βAs they process what has happened, they are concerned for the young woman involved,β he added.
According to B&B’s website, the club operates 21 different girls’ teams. Following the allegations against Maser, the club contacted the parents of more than 400 students.
He was discharged there on February 9. It is unclear why it took so long for authorities to arrest him.
The club’s Facebook page features several photos of Maser playing for the club in his teenage years.
A club spokesperson said that as soon as it became aware of ‘an inappropriate sexual relationship between an adult who coached for B&B Volleyball and one of our players’, it was reported to the relevant authorities.
βThe athlete’s family had confirmed that the incident had already been reported to law enforcement authorities, so B&B Volleyball did not have to take that step… The coach involved was immediately dismissed from B&B Volleybal,β the statement continued.
In addition to his work at B&B and Sacred Heart, Maser also coached at Manhasset High School.
a Article from January 2023 of his successes in that role, he says he “brought a unique knowledge of the game that our old coaches did not have, and he began to establish a culture of hard work and communication that would stay with us throughout the season.”
‘It’s terrible, it’s terrible when someone abuses his position. These are children,β parent Sheena Falloon said NBC New York.
“I had a long talk with my daughter this morning and she is aware of it, but especially in these times you have to be extra careful and make your children aware because it is a possibility in the world we live in today,” another parent, Angelo Marchica, said.
Nassau police are asking other potential victims to come forward.