A distinguished highschool water polo coach in California was convicted of sexually assaulting 9 teen ladies throughout coaching periods, all whereas their unsuspecting dad and mom sat poolside.
On Wednesday, jury discovered Bahram Hojreh, of Irvine, responsible of twenty-two felony counts after a five-week trial, together with prices of sexual battery, sexual penetration and lewd acts on a baby. The jury additionally discovered him responsible of straightforward assault in connection to one of many unnamed victims, the Orange County Register studies.
Prominent Water Polo Coach Found Guilty Of 22 Felony Counts Following Five-Week Trial
Prosecutors stated the 46-year-old “touched their breasts, twisted their nipples, touched their genitals above and below their swimsuits and digitally penetrated them underwater during coaching sessions.”
The disgraced coach reportedly informed the younger girls that each one of this was essential to “toughen them up for competition,” based on prosecutors.
The victims ranged in ages from 13 to 17 on the time of the incidents, which occurred between 2012 and 2017.
Hojreh denied the allegations whereas testifying in his personal protection, claiming his former athletes had been a part of a “conspiracy” in opposition to him.
John Barnett, Hojreh’s protection lawyer, even went as far as to accuse the younger girls of mendacity, the Orange County Register studies.
Poolside Parents Were Totally Unaware As The Sexual Abuse Took Place Just Feet Away
The coach led the International Water Polo Club in Los Alamitos, California, and likewise coached at Kennedy High School in La Palma.
The sexual assaults reportedly passed off throughout coaching periods at a pool positioned on the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos.
The victims’ dad and mom, who had attended the coaching periods, had been solely unaware as Hojreh molested their daughters mere toes away.
“My heart breaks for each one of these victims and for their parents who did everything they could to help their children achieve their athletic dreams and instead had to learn the painful truth, that their daughters had been molested right in front of them – and there was nothing they could do to protect them,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer stated.
Spitzer went on to say “thankfully, these brave girls had the courage to speak up about the abuse and prevented additional girls from being molested.”
Decorated Water Polo Coach Immediately Taken Into Custody After Wednesday’s Guilty Verdict
The outlet studies that the women started confiding in one another in regards to the abuse in 2017, nevertheless dad and mom weren’t notified till a yr later.
Upon studying of the abuse, the households promptly reported the assaults to police.
Hojreh, who skilled over 100 All Americans and led upwards of ten groups to the nationwide championships, is now banned for all times from taking part in occasions affiliated with USA Water Polo, based on the Orange County Register.
He had remained out on bail through the trial, however was instantly taken into custody after Wednesday’s responsible verdict.
Hojreh is scheduled to be sentenced on January 12.