Feds: Jailed Ukrainian youth hockey coach hanged himself

A Ukrainian youth hockey coach facing sexual abuse charges was found dead in his Philadelphia jail cell early Friday morning.

According to Darrin Howard, spokesman for the Federal Detention Center at 7th and Race streets, Ivan Pravilov, 49, was found unresponsive in his cell around 3 a.m. CPR was performed and Pravilov was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead 45 minutes later.

“Preliminary information suggests the probable cause of death to be a suicide,” Howard noted in a press release. “However, an autopsy will be conducted by the medical examiner to confirm the exact cause of death.”

ICE and the FBI are investigating the case. Their initial investigation indicated that Pravilov hanged himself.

The death comes less than two weeks after Pravilov appeared in federal court for a bail hearing. During the proceedings, a thin, bearded Pravilov agreed to remain in prison until trial.

Pravilov was arrested in mid-January after allegedy making sexual contact with a 14-year-old boy in his Mt. Airy apartment shortly after the New Year.

If convicted, Pravilov would have faced up to 40 years in prison.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting the case, declined to comment on Pravilov’s death. A call to Pravilov’s attorney was not immediately returned.

Pravilov ran youth hockey clinics and camps up and down the East Coast.