Former volunteer coach in Stanislaus County suspected of sex acts with a minor
WATERFORD – A man who volunteered as a coach for several high schools in Central California has been arrested on suspicion of committing sexual acts with a minor.
The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office says they started investigating back in February 2024 when they got a report about a suspicious man in a car parked in an orchard. The witness reported seeing the man with a girl "who looked young," detectives say.
Detectives identified the suspect as 38-year-old Merced resident David Odom. As detectives soon discovered, back in 2013, Odom was reported to have been in an alleged relationship with a 16-year-old girl. The sheriff's office noted that the case had been closed due to lack of evidence.
Looking into Odom's past more, detectives found out that he had been a volunteer over the years in several positions where he was in contact with minors. Notably, the sheriff's office says Odom was a volunteer track coach at Hughson High School from 2021 to 2023.
Odom was fired from that Hughson High position after school staff allegedly saw him holding hands with a former student, detectives discovered. Witnesses also reported that he allegedly had inappropriate relationships with girls while he was volunteering as a coach.
Odom was arrested and is facing several charges related to sex acts with a minor. He posted a $125,000 bail and has been released from custody, the sheriff's office says.
Hughson High – along with Waterford High and Community Bible Church in Waterford where he also volunteered – is cooperating with the investigation into Odom.
