21 News first reported on November 21 that the East High Girls Basketball coach, Anthony Pastella, was on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into the coach.

The Youngstown City School Administrators did not provide details about why Pastella was placed on paid leave during an investigation or the nature of the investigation at the time, although records released months later detail allegations that Pastella transported a student athlete in his personal vehicle without their parents or school administration's knowledge. 

On another occasion, Pastella admitted to taking a student to lunch and to buy homecoming clothes and taking another student to buy basketball shoes. 

Pastella was named head girls' basketball coach at East High School in May and had previously served as the assistant coach at Struthers School District.

The district said Destiny Merriweather is the new East High School girls' basketball coach, and East Athletic Director Tanisha Franklin and Cheryl Green are assistants.