Northern Iowa coach accused of sexual exploitation of a minor

News, Sports

August 7th, 2025 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A northern Iowa girls’ track coach has been arrested and faces felony charges of sexual exploitation of a minor and grooming.

Skyler Ahrens has been placed on administrative leave from his job at Lake Mills Community Schools. He was a gym teacher in the elementary and middle schools and the high school girls’ track coach. Ahrens was arrested last (Wednesday) night. In addition to the sexual exploitation charge, he’s also accused of disseminating obscene material by phone to a minor.

Court documents indicate Ahrens is accused of asking someone he thought was a 15-year-old girl to send him explicit photos, but he was communicating with a Winnebago County deputy who was online, posing as a teenage girl.

Lake Mills’ school officials say the alleged conduct is a violation of professional ethics and district policy and they are fully cooperating with law enforcement’s investigation.