Herlinton Ramon Rugama-Blandon

Introduction

Herlinton Ramon Rugama-Blandon is a 32-year-old man who lives in Hickory, North Carolina, and previously worked as a temporary part-time soccer coach at Draughn High School in Burke County. On Monday, September 28, 2026, he was arrested by the Hickory Police Department on two felony counts of sex crimes against a minor. According to the arrest warrant, the minor was a student at the school, and the charges are a sex act with a student and indecent liberties with a student. Rugama-Blandon was granted a $250,000 bond in Catawba County District Court the next morning, according to court documents, and his next court appearance is set for Oct. 20, 2026. The charges are untried.

Background Information

Rugama-Blandon coached soccer at Draughn High School as a temporary part-time coach from Aug. 16, 2023, to June 30, 2025, according to Burke County Public Schools Public Relations Officer Cheryl Shuffler. Temporary coaches are employed seasonally based on the sports they coach, Shuffler said, and the district stated that Rugama-Blandon did not leave the job for disciplinary reasons. He has not been a coach at Draughn since June 2025. He lives in Hickory, where the Hickory Police Department made the arrest, and his bond hearing was held in Catawba County District Court.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Charged, not tried. Rugama-Blandon faces felony charges that have not been tested at trial. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case stems from an arrest warrant alleging that Rugama-Blandon committed sex crimes against a minor. According to the warrant, the minor was a student at Draughn High School, the Burke County school where he had coached soccer. The Hickory Police Department arrested him on Monday, September 28, 2026. The warrant charges two felony counts: a sex act with a student and indecent liberties with a student. The reporting, which draws on the warrant and court documents, does not describe the dates or circumstances of the alleged offenses beyond the warrant’s identification of the alleged victim as a student at the school.

Rugama-Blandon was granted a $250,000 bond in Catawba County District Court on Tuesday morning, September 29, 2026, according to court documents. The hearing came the morning after his arrest. His next court appearance is set for Oct. 20, 2026. The Go Foothills report published Thursday, October 1, 2026, does not indicate that he has entered a plea, and no trial date appears in the reporting.

By the time of the arrest, Rugama-Blandon had been gone from Draughn for more than a year: Burke County Public Schools said he served as a temporary part-time coach from Aug. 16, 2023, until June 30, 2025, and that he did not leave the job for disciplinary reasons. The district described the matter as an ongoing investigation into a former employee and said it cannot share specific details. The public criminal record at this point consists of the two felony charges, the $250,000 bond, and the Oct. 20 court date.

Public Reaction and Consequences

Public reaction to the arrest has so far been limited to the school district’s response. Burke County Public Schools acknowledged in a statement that situations like this are concerning for students, families, and staff, and said that because the case involves an ongoing investigation into a former employee, it cannot share specific details. “In general, we take all concerns involving student safety seriously and cooperate fully with law enforcement,” the district stated. “All employees undergo background checks and training designed to help safeguard our students. We expect all employees associated with our school district to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and conduct. Our focus remains on protecting our students and providing a safe, supportive environment for every child.” On employment, the district’s points were factual: Rugama-Blandon was a temporary part-time coach from Aug. 16, 2023, to June 30, 2025, temporary coaches are employed seasonally based on the sports they coach, and he did not leave the job for disciplinary reasons.

Current Status

As of the most recent reporting on October 1, 2026, Rugama-Blandon has been charged with two felony counts — a sex act with a student and indecent liberties with a student — and the case has not gone to trial. He was granted a $250,000 bond in Catawba County District Court on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, and his next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 20, 2026. The school district characterizes the matter as an ongoing investigation into a former employee. No plea, trial date, or additional hearings appear in the available reporting. Rugama-Blandon is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, and the charges against him remain allegations at this stage.

Impact on Their Career/Life

Rugama-Blandon’s coaching tenure at Draughn High School ended on June 30, 2025, more than a year before his arrest; per the district, that end reflected the seasonal employment of temporary coaches, not a disciplinary departure. The felony charges now attach to him personally: he was arrested, bonded at $250,000, and must appear in Catawba County District Court on Oct. 20, 2026. Because the case is pending, any lasting professional consequences — and the outcome of the charges themselves — remain undetermined. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Sources

• Go Foothills, “Former Draughn coach arrested for felony sex crimes against a student” — source