September 4, 2024 3:40 a.m. 

A Portland man who served as the head men’s basketball coach at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday for persuading a child to send him sexually explicit images.

A release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Oregon, said 38-year-old Nathan Ezell Bowie was sentenced to 162-months in custody and 20 year’s supervised release.

According to court documents, in November 2021, Bowie conducted a basketball camp at Glide High School. Bowie asked students at the camp to connect with him online, and the victim sent Bowie a message asking for basketball drills. Bowie continued to communicate with the minor, eventually persuading her to send sexually explicit images. In January 2022, another coach learned of the communications and alerted law enforcement.

March 15, 2022, Bowie was charged by criminal complaint with sexually exploiting a child, coercion and enticement, and receipt of child pornography. At the time of his arrest, Bowe was also an educational assistant at an elementary school in Gresham.

On May 15, 2024, Bowie pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor.

The case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and FBI Portland’s Eugene Resident Agency. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.