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topicnews · July 18, 2025

Former gymnastics trainer arrested, sexual crimes with teen that he trained: Polk MPs

Former gymnastics trainer arrested, sexual crimes with teen that he trained: Polk MPs

Lakeland, Florida – The Sheriff's office Polk County (PCSO) said that a former gymnastics coach was arrested on Wednesday after he had admitted to having sexual intercourse with a minor that he used to train.

PCSO said that the investigation began as a case for a missing person when Detective tried to find adult victims after not participating in a judicial detoxification program.

The MPs said that the victim was found in the Lakeland home of 28-year-old Alexander Katchalov, her former gymnastics coach at Elite World Gymnastics.

The MPs reported that Katchalov had admitted that he had sexual intercourse twice when she was 15 years old.

Katchalov has already been referred to as a sex offender and on probation after being condemned in 2017 for possession of child pornography according to PCSO

On July 16, Katchalov was arrested and charged with an uncomfortable battery, which did not comply with the registration of sex offenders and had injured its probation.

ABC Action News uses his search photos because of the suspect's earlier roles as a coach and because the PCSO said that there could be more victims out there.

PCSO asks everyone who has become a victim of detective in the Special victim of PCSO.

This is an ongoing examination.

ABC Action News Mugshot Directive

When a search for the search is used
If the person is still loose and a potential threat to the community; If there is a good chance that the suspect would help identify additional victims or to protect the public in other ways from a serious threat or if the crime or the suspect is so important that they are in a greater public interest in a search photo.

Use earlier search photos
Only when the story speaks especially about this previous crime

We show no wanted photos of victims

This guideline began in early 2021

Hillsborough County's crews work six days a week to improve rainwater drainage

The ongoing restoration work is part of a greater exertion of Hillsborough County's public work, which aims at alleviating the flood risks throughout the area. Officials are confident that these improvements in this hurricane season offer a feeling of security.

Crews of the Hillsborough County work 6 days a week to improve rainwater drainage

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