Metro area girl’s softball coach arrested as suspect in child sex crime.

A metro area softball coach has been arrested as part of a child sex crime investigation which is connected to a Virginia girl who has died of suicide.

Paul “Pablo” Severtson, 37, was arrested on Wednesday after investigators with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit executed a search warrant at his home where evidence was seized, according to a sheriff’s news release.

In March local investigators were contacted by the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, Va., about a juvenile female who died of suicide, the release said. Through the course of the Virginia investigation authorities discovered that the girl had been communicating with an individual, identified as Severtson, on social media messaging apps.

Severtson, according to the release, allegedly used three accounts on the social media chat app KIK under the names: Tyson Richard, user name TYSONHELP; Reggie Collins, user name  REGGIEBBC11; and Jordan Styme, username JSTYME8080.

In Colorado, Severtson coached the Girls Softball team at Cherry Creek High School. He was fired by the Cherry Creek School District on Wednesday.

“CCSD is working with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office to support their investigation,” the district said in a statement.

Severtson was hired by the district in August of 2020, including work as a paraprofessional at Cherry Creek High School, West Middle School and at Cherry Creek Elevation. The district has notified families at all three schools where he worked about the arrest.

“His arrest was not connected to his employment with the Cherry Creek School District and did not involve CCSD students,” the statement said.

When hired by Cherry Creek, the distirct’s process, including a criminal background and reference checks, did not uncover employment concerns, the statement said.

Severtson also coached the Colorado Styxx girl’s softball club. Prior to coaching in Cherry Creek, he coached at Heritage High School, Littleton High School, and Chaparral High School from November 2017 through August 2020.

As part of his social media accounts, Severtson passed himself off as someone in his early 20s who was into fitness, according to the sheriff’s office. Investigators allege that Severston was attempting to persuade the Virginia girl into sending him nude images and videos of herself, “which due to her age, would be considered child sexual abuse material.”

Severtson was booked into the Arapahoe County jail on Wednesday on investigation of felony criminal solicitation.

Investigators are concerned that their may be additional victims. Anyone with information or concerns is urged to contact the sheriff’s office at 720-874-8477.