Orange County girls' basketball coach faces 150-year sentence for sexually assaulting players
An Orange County judge sentenced a former girls' basketball coach to a minimum of 150 years in prison for sexually assaulting several of his players.
According to the Orange County District Attorney, a jury convicted 48-year-old Carlos Francisco Juarez of 21 felony counts connected to the sexual assaults of four young girls he coached:
- 10 counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14
- 7 counts of lewd acts upon a child
- 2 counts of oral copulation of a minor
- 2 counts of sexual penetration by foreign object of a minor
Prosecutors said Juarez coached at several Orange County high schools in Aliso Niguel, Costa Mesa, Tustin and the private school Mater Dei but primarily coached club basketball teams such as So Cal Swoosh and O.C. Mustangs.
The 48-year-old coached and assaulted the four victims between 2005 and 2010, according to the DA's office.
"This coach was in a position of trust and authority over these young girls and he took advantage of them. Youth sports should be a safe environment where neither parents nor athletes should have to worry about children being targeted by a sexual predator," said District Attorney Todd Spitzer.
In the five-year span, Juarez had an 11-year-old practice topless, sexually assaulted a 14-year-old during private basketball lessons and forced a 13-year-old to perform a sex act on him to become a starter on the team, according to prosecutors.
Juarez was also convicted of assaulting a 13-year-old player after he moved into her home.