Charges dropped against former high school basketball coach

ALIQUIPPA, Pa. — A judge has dropped all of the charges against a former high school basketball coach accused of having child pornography.

The charges against Nicholas Lackovich, also a former probation officer, were withdrawn Tuesday.

Lackovich told Channel 11 he wants his life back and wants to coach again.

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"I maintained my innocence from day one for two years, anyone who would listen, I had nothing to do with this," Lackovich said.

He lost his position as Aliquippa's head coach of the high school's basketball team, and his job as a probation officer, but he always believed felony child-porn and dog-fighting charges filed against him would be dropped.

These charges are "the worst things a person can be accused of, someone who is in a public position like that," said Steve Colafella, Lackovich's attorney. "Those kids adored Nick and they've suffered, too, the whole community has suffered because he was stripped of his coaching position he loved."

Lackovich, well-known in the Beaver County community, was named top coach when he took his team to the state championships during the 2015-16 season.

He says these charges ruined his life and he's going to fight to get his good name back.

"It's been a nightmare, I just had to endure it," Lackovich said. "I'm just happy that it's over, and I can go about repairing my life. I've had pretty much everything taken away from me so I have to man up and rebuild that."

His attorneys will be fighting to get his record expunged so he can go back to coaching.

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