A former head coach of the Caldwell High School football team was arrested again for a no contact order violation, just two months after he was detained on a charge of felony sexual abuse of a minor.
Kip Crofts, of Middleton, was booked into the Canyon County Jail on Wednesday for the violation, according to online jail records. He pleaded not guilty to the violation at his July 31 hearing, where Crofts’ private defense attorney argued his client was “unlawfully charged.”
Crofts was arrested in June for allegedly masturbating in front of a 14-year-old child last year, according to an indictment filed by Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney Kyra Venecia.
The alleged incident occurred in December, and the Nampa Police Department was asked to investigate a child sexual abuse allegation involving Crofts a month later. Following the investigation, a grand jury indicted Crofts, who was then arrested on a $50,000 felony warrant, court records showed.
Crofts, 59, could face up to 25 years in prison and a $50,000 fine if he’s convicted. His trial is set to begin Nov. 18 in Canyon County District Court. Crofts has pleaded not guilty, according to court records.
The Caldwell School District hired Crofts to take over its football program in February 2023 and left earlier this year. He previously served as a head coach at Payette and Meridian high schools. He also was an assistant coach at Bishop Kelly High School in Boise for three years. Crofts was working as a custodian for the city of Nampa’s Development Services office at the time of his arrest.
Law enforcement previously said there could be more victims. Police asked anyone with additional information about a possible crime involving Crofts to contact their local law enforcement agency.
Ex-Caldwell High School head football Coach Kip Crofts, of Middleton, was accused of felony sexual abuse of a minor after he allegedly masturbated in front of a 14-year-old child last year.
Mother of girls says they had ‘zero contact’ with Crofts
Middleton police visited Crofts’ home on July 30 regarding a tip about a possible no contact order violation, which stipulates that Crofts have no contact with any minors.
After arriving, a Middleton officer discovered that Crofts’ wife was running a day care and snow cone business out of their home, according to court records. The officer found two female children outside the home at the time of Crofts’ arrest.
The mother of the two girls spoke at the hearing on the violation and said she’d come over to the house “on her own accord” for snow cones and speak to Crofts’ wife. They stood outside on the porch for the entirety of their visit, she said.
“We were unaware of the presence of Mr. Crofts in the house. We were not invited in, and Mr. Cross never made his presence known,” the woman said in court. “We had zero contact with him, and I have no reason to believe he was even aware of our presence.”
The Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office argued at Crofts’ July 31 hearing that the circumstances of the violation are “concerning” and argued that he’s a high risk to children in the community. They asked for a $10,000 bond. His attorney, Alex Briggs, questioned police’s actions in arresting Crofts and argued that the mother’s statement provides a case to remove his bond.
“There’s no alleged contact here,” he said. “It’s not a crime unless you have contact.”
Briggs asked for Crofts to be released on his own recognizance.
But 3rd Judicial District Magistrate Judge J.R. Schiller concluded that the Crofts were operating a snow cone stand on their property, and that he didn’t know whether the two girls were the only children who had come on their property.
“He’s charged with sexual abuse of a child,” Schiller added. “Obviously the court has concerns when they’re then operating a stand at their home that would attract children to it, and I think the community has a right to be concerned about kids’ safety.”
He set Crofts’ bond at $5,000. Crofts’ next hearing on the violation is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 3.
