Cheer Coach Arrested IN Gulf Shores On First-Degree Sexual Abuse Charges

GULF SHORES, AL (BuzzReport)— A longtime Alabama cheer coach is behind bars after Gulf Shores police say he sexually assaulted a teenager while staying at a local hotel during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

According to the Gulf Shores Police Department, 37-year-old Todd Sterlin Trolinger Jr., of Millbrook, has been arrested and charged with three counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree.

The investigation began around 1:30 a.m. on July 3, when officers responded to a disturbance at a hotel located in the 1700 block of Gulf Shores Parkway. Police say a teenage victim reported that Trolinger made forcible sexual advances toward them inside the hotel.

Investigators say several of the teen’s friends, who were also staying at the hotel as guests, witnessed the alleged assault and provided statements to law enforcement.

Following the investigation, Trolinger was taken into custody and booked into the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Jail, where he remains held as the case moves forward.

Authorities have not released additional details about the circumstances surrounding the incident or whether the victim and suspect knew one another prior to the alleged assault.

The case remains under active investigation, and investigators have not ruled out the possibility of additional charges or additional victims.

According to Trolinger’s publicly available LinkedIn profile, he has more than a decade of experience as a cheer coach and tumbling instructor in the Millbrook area, working with young athletes throughout his coaching career.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact the Gulf Shores Police Department.