Former Arkansas football coach and his wife sentenced for attempted SA of two minors

Content warning: This article describes child sexual abuse. Please take care while reading.

A married Arkansas couple, including a former minor league football coach, have been sentenced to more than 30 years combined for online enticement of a minor and other charges, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced.

According to the DOJ, Benjamin Coney, 30, and Emily “Grace” Brinley, 26, were arrested in Nov. 2023, having driven from Conway to Bentonville, AR, to sexually abuse two girls ages 9 and 4. Coney once coached the Arkansas Punishers, a minor league football team based in Little Rock, and Brinley and Coney had arranged the meeting with who they thought was the girls’ mother, but who was an FBI agent communicating with the couple in a child sex sting. Coney and Brinley were arrested at the scene, and items including “sex aides and lubricant” were found in their vehicle, the DOJ said.

“Some very f***ed up sick taboos”

After Coney and Brinley were arrested, details of the conversation they had with the undercover officer were revealed. According to Arkansas’ 5 NewsOnline one message read Coney and Brinley were into  “some very f***** up sick taboos.” According to the authorities, Coney sent most of the messages, but Brinley was consulted on everything and even mentioned having a baby so they could sexually abuse their child. Both Coney and Brinley sent verification photos to the person they thought was the children’s mother.

Brinley’s voice was reportedly heard in several voice calls with the undercover agent, but she later said she didn’t plan to do anything and was only there to make her husband happy. Coney, who had child sex abuse material on his devices, said Brinley was only involved because of him. Brinley told police the prearranged meeting seemed “sketchy.”

According to a police affidavit viewed by Law & Crime, Coney told police “he could talk a big game on the phone, he did not think he would actually do anything in real life.” The affidvait added, “Grace stated that she was just trying to be a good wife, and that she was not interested in children. Grace said that she went along with Ben and repeated stuff she heard Ben say.”

Early on, Brinley and Coney pleaded not guilty on related charges, but eventually agreed to plea deals which will see Coney spent more than 17 years in prison followed by 15 years of supervision and Brinley spending 14 years in prison with 14 years of supervision for her role in the crime. Moreover, those sentences are just on federal charges. Brinley and Coney are expected back in court in February to face charges from the state.

In an X post, the Arkansas Punishers announced Coney had been fired after his arrest. “We are aware of the situation involving Ben Coney and have terminated his employment with the team,” the team’s post said. “We do not support or allow his actions at all,” the team added.

If you know someone suffering from sexual violence, contact RAINN or the National Sexual Abuse Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.