A Santa Maria High School (SMHS) assistant soccer coach was arrested on May 9 for allegedly annoying or molesting a minor and for allegedly contacting a minor to solicit lewd photographs, according to a press release from the Santa Maria Police Department.
The suspect, 34-year-old Santa Maria resident Francisco Hernandez Sanabria, also coaches a local club soccer team.
Kenny Klein, public information officer for Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, wrote in an emailed statement to the Sun that the district cooperated with police, and the police department hadn’t given the district “any indication that this alleged activity involved any SMHS students.”
“We investigate all alleged activity,” Klein wrote, “and will take appropriate action if necessary.”
The police department said in its release that it wouldn’t disclose any further information on the minor involved or the circumstances, “in order to protect the identity of the victim.”
This article appears in May 18-25, 2017.