The Antelope Valley Times

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High school basketball coach charged with multiple sex crimes

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LANCASTER — A 38-year-old man who coached the varsity girls basketball team at Palmdale High School was charged Tuesday with more than a dozen felony sex counts.

Marcus Williams of Lancaster is facing one count of meeting a minor for lewd purposes and two counts each of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, lewd act upon a child, oral copulation of a person under 16, contact with a minor for sexual offense, possession of child or youth pornography, distribution of child pornography, and activity involving material depicting sexual conduct, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

The sex-related charges involve a 15-year-old girl, according to LADA spokesman Ricardo Santiago. The child pornography charges involve a number of videos and photos that Williams allegedly had, Santiago said, adding that many of the images were of the victim.

The crimes allegedly took place in December of 2015 and on Jan. 7, according to the felony complaint.

Williams was arrested around 12:13 a.m. on Jan. 8, according to LASD inmate records.

He was arrested near 45th Street E. and Avenue Q-12 in Palmdale after he was spotted in his car with a minor, according to various media outlets that cited the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau detectives could not be reached Tuesday for comment on the investigation.

Representatives from the Antelope Valley Union High School District also did not return calls for comment on Tuesday.

In a statement to NBC Los Angeles, the school district said: “Immediately upon learning from the Palmdale Sheriff’s Department we responded to the incident. We are addressing it as a personnel matter in accordance with state law and district policy. We are working with the sheriff’s department.”

Williams was scheduled to be arraigned on the 15 felony counts Tuesday, but the arraignment was postponed to Jan. 29, Santiago said.

Williams has been jailed since his Jan. 8 arrest, and bail is now set at $500,000, according to Santiago.

UPDATED 1-29-16: Marcus Williams was scheduled to be arraigned today, but the arraignment was postponed to Feb. 16. We’ll continue to follow this story.

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Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

131 comments for "High school basketball coach charged with multiple sex crimes"

  2. Did we forget that this man was in a position of power over these young ladies? I don’t care if you think it’s biology, this man was in a position and he took advantage. Sorry but he is not as innocent as you may think. I don’t mean to make this hard time on you even harder but it’s the truth and we all must learn and move on

    • Even if this was the olden days when young women were married as soon as puberty hit! It would still be rape because its not love he did not intend to marry or care for any of these young ladies and He had no parental consent or intention to marry any of them He is a preditor plain and simple in a moral society He would have been killed by the law or the parents I believe in mercy if someone owns up comes clean but in such situations the fruit of real repentance is He would never again put himself around they candy it rarely happens however I will pray for this man and my deepest hope is sorrow and confession to the every girl there’s more victims I pray they come forward and get help! We need a preditor island! Give them some tools some seeds and leave them there!

      • These guys rarely reoffend! I’d trust him with your kids any day. It’s the ones that haven’t been caught you have to worry about. 800 years ago this wasn’t even against the law. My great great great grandpa married an 11 year old parrot, so I guess he would be a sex offender in you peoples judgements like eyes! Plus he’s a great coach!

          • LOL…reading comprehension fails Mike yet again. Sorry Mike, not going to go through this one slowly for you. Get your teacher to help at recess.

  3. It really amazes me to hear how many people can make so many negative comments about Marcus vs the girl and what they did wrong.
    Yes we have laws to adhere to in palmdale as well as all of america.
    But how many of us can throw stones at Marcus and the girl and not clean up
    Our own mess.
    As parents,teachers and students what are we holding secrets to in our hidden closets?
    Some of us are in need of counseling with all sorts of drug addictions and sex addictions it’s really sad.
    Yet we want to torment and mock Marcus and the girl but what are we really hiding behind closed doors? Palmdale can we together admit our short comings and find solutions for the sake of education in our young students.

  4. I’ve noticed many comments regarding the 15 year old girl, blaming her for what happened. Perhaps she was a willing participant, and all things indicate so. However, regardless, the LAW states it is a crime for anyone to have sex if they are under 18 years of age. I often question the fact that at 17 years, 364 days, a person becomes mature when adding just 24 hours to this total. But it is the law, and Marcus broke this law.

    There have to be limits, and at what age do we draw the line where men can have sex with girls? The state legislators drew that age of consent line at 18 years of age. Do you want to lower it to 17? How about 16? Or lower? When is a girl old enough to fully understand the consequences, both positive and negative, of becoming sexually active? And when exactly is that? It certainly is not the same for all girls or boys.

    For now, let’s keep the law the law, and not try to rationalize it. And if you think it should be changed, contact your state legislator or start a petition. There does need to be a line though, and I think we all can agree to that fact, otherwise I shudder to think how perverts would treat little babies, like my grand kids.

    • Exactly. It doesn’t matter what the 15 year old did or didn’t do, it was the 40 year old coach’s job to behave appropriately, which he obviously didn’t do. I hope none of the people trying to justify what he did are his fellow coaches.

    • Well said Gowchong. I agree with all what your wrote. Regardless of how mature looking the girl might be, (maybe she even looks younger than her age) even if she was a willing participant, it does not matter.
      Not only is he guilty of having sex with a child; teachers are supposed to hold positions of trust, respect, morals, and professionalism, while teaching academics to students. NOT sex, corrupted morals, sneakiness and deception.
      A man his age has no business sleeping with a girl more than half his age! Shame on him! It’s especially egregious with him being in the teaching profession where school aged children are instructed to turn to a teacher for help; e.g. such as being abused at home…
      With his other acts of sexual deviance, (child porn) more than likely he chose his choice of career for a reason. Premeditated, cold and calculated intentions to closely interact with underage girls. He is a low life pediophile
      who never should have been any teaching/coaching capacity that involves minors.

  5. San Pedro female school teacher Michelle Yeh just got sentenced 3 years for the same thing. Lets see what they give this MAN.

        • You dont have to support anything they fell in love.. n thats.. that! s**t happens. he didnt hurt her.They grew strong feelings stop being judgmental not just You but everyone on here

      • My Great-Grandma was married with a baby by the time she was 16. I wonder what less-than-a-man and POS Great-Grandpa would have thought about your comment when he was fighting for your and your childrens’ freedom in the Pacific…

        • Not sure what your saying but there has been a long list of Female teachers raping teen boys and there has been no out cry at ALL. I have not seen one female Demonize yet. If he is a POS then all the Females teachers that has ever touch a male under the age of 18 is a POS.

          • Except for the having to register as sex offenders and never being around kids again. Just because you perceive that women aren’t punished for this doesn’t mean they aren’t nor does it mean it’s okay. I’m sorry you defend the right of 40 year old mean to sleep with 15 year olds, but you may find yourself alone in this view.

        • This Dude was wrong Ok, but if a 18 year old sleep with a 15 year old same thing. If he was 21 and she was 15 it’s still rape. All I’m saying is when female teachers sleep rape 16 17 year old BOYS they are never Demonize if we’re going to put the rope around his neck then the same for the POS female teacher that do the same thing.

  6. Hope the high school district cleans house at the PHS Athletics Dept. There’s obviously something rotten in Denmark over there.

  7. In view of all that has happened I was heart broken when I heard what coach Marcus had done.
    He has been a very powerful influence in the development of my son’s basketball skills.
    I have never seen a coach like him with so much intensity for basketball for both boys and girls in delivering game strategies with positive encouragement for all of his players.
    With that being said we all need to get back to prayer in our schools. We are in desperate need of God in all of America.where are our morals and standards? What have we all become as teachers,parents and students?the responsibly of raising a child is in the love and care of the village “Palmdale”.let’s all look at how we can improve the quality of our lives for the future of our Nation

    • Could not disagree more. Please keep your religion out of my and my child’s daily life.

      What we should do is get a grip and come to the realization that this is, while socially inappropriate, is biologically appropriate. And the fact that this student is old enough to be treated as an adult when it pleases the State of California. The fact that this society is more upset about this sort of thing than any number of murders and such crime is pathetic.

      • very true Jordan. Reality bites and laws need to be changed. Who is upset with this, besides the “law”. Are her parents? Is she?

        • It’s biology! Older men are attracted to younger girls and vice versa. If she committed murder while doing this, she’d be an adult and he wouldn’t even be in trouble! Think about that one!

      • maybe if you knew the truth of Jesus you wouldn’t be blaming the victim for this adult coach’s perverted and illegal behavior.

      • With all due respect to the way you feel about religion this is a matter of uderstanding that at the end of our lives what are we all going to say to God when we see him face to face.it’s a sad thing when parents give their children nothing to cultivate their lives in knowing who God is. The devil is sure waiting to destroy the morales and positive values that all of our parents and grandparents have worked so hard to uphold in america.You can laugh at the Bible all you want and you can make fun of God and say that he does not exist.ok
        Just remember their is no other force in this life that can fight the devil and win.
        God is the only source who sent his one and only son to die on the cross for the salvation of a sick and perverted world.
        Look at how the sun,the moon,the stars and all of the plantets in the various galaxies are in order.The sun alone is a miracle to behold that no man created.
        Let’s all pray that God’s wrath is delayed long enough so we see the beauty and glory of his word in scripture and that he has mercy on us all.

  8. Really! With the limited information in the article and I know some on here may be making comments first hand and some trying to defend his actions and even trying to place the blame on the 15 year old. I see this as this simple straight STUDITY on the volunteer coaches shoulder on his DECESION he made to pursue his course of action. Now when I was 15 once my parents was in bed I knew how to sneak out late night/early morning so as a 15 year old it would be expected. Now since this 15 year old didn’t have a vehicle and not license to drive then look at it from this perspective. If the 15 year old was per say making advances on the volunteer coach then he had control. 1st if he was with her at that hour then he had to agree to meet her. 2nd since they were caught in his car then he would have had to drive to meet her and also unlocked door to let her in. 3rd he had one last option to ask her to get out before said action happened. Even if there were a different scenario and she went to his residence and opened the door then same applies he already had his mind made up. He could have simply called parents to pick her up but he crossed that line with a 15 year old no matter how her reputation is perceived in school he knew exactly what he was doing. She was a 15 year old and he was a coach/mentor/ supposedly role model. Prison Bound…Life ruined for all involved…Publicity nightmare for the school and school district. Next, Law Suit right around the corner for not protecting child from predator!

  9. He is done. Life over. Feeling the touch of a grown woman over. What he can expect is prison boy’s waiting to give him much love. Why would you want to risk living in hell for some dumb 15 year old girl who’s brain is not yet done growing yet. I know he is at fault, but the teenager is at fault as well. Back in the 60s and 70s fine blame the adult.
    But 2015… hell some teenagers are most tech savy than their own parents…. what I am saying is that teenage women… theses days are nasty they will do whatever they have to do to be popular, get good grades.. and if they really fast girls.. they will have sex with who ever they want… and in Highschool there is a long line of boys waiting.. crazy world but deal with it.

    • It’s never the child’s fault regardless of the decade we are in. Just because a child is is “tech savvy” does not mean the understand the meaning of love. They have even finished growing to appreciate who the are as their own person.
      This is why it is illegal to be sexual involved with a person under the age of 18.

      • @Davezan – as long as you define as a ‘child’ any person between the age of 1 day and 17 years and 364 days. Wait, that definition only comes into play when it pertains to a person’s voluntary and willing conduct.

        The only reason the ‘child’s’ involvement is categorically never considered is that a bunch of legislators have said so. Up to 18 years of age. This is laughable.

        The fact that he was a teacher / coach makes this inappropriate but let’s stop pretending this is the crime of the century.

        If this minor had killed the teacher right after an encounter for his iPhone she would be charged and sentenced as an adult. For any other activity, regardless of the level of coercion or manipulation or even threats the same minor is deemed mature enough to be held responsible. At much younger than 15.

        Just because someone turns 18 that does not mean that they all of a sudden understand the meaning of love.

        Your comment is full of cliches… the only correct statement is that, according to California law, it is illegal for ANYONE to be sexually involved with a person under 18. Which makes most people guilty of the exact same thing as this teacher.

        • I couldn’t agree with you more on this subject. Other youngsters know what other youngsters are doing. Ask them.
          As much as parents would like to think their daughters or sons wouldn’t behave in a sexual manner, until they’re 18 or married (haha), they are doing “it”.
          Look at some of the facebook pages. It’s not something these girls do 1 time. It is their sustained behavior. They post pictures and show themselves in explicit situations. They sneak off to Vegas for the weekends.
          Wake tf up folks.

          • I think your fb investigation is misleading. Some kids are sexually active, many are not. Dressing a certain way might signal curiosity and an awakening to sexuality. Minors sneaking off to Vegas for sex romps is ridiculous. Kids are stupid. I’d guess a fairly high percentage of them that have sex end up pregnant.

    • I agree, I have been a high school teacher since 2003. There is no need for any adult to get that intimate with a 15 year old, as was stated above, it will be a different story in person.

    • These horny kids are making Palmdale a hunting ground for their sexual conquests and the victims are the 40 year old men caught in their devious snare! It’s an epidemic I tell you! I’m afraid to go to the mall for fear I’ll be seduced by one of these teenage she wolfs!

  10. Even if this girl was willingly a participant, which I am sure that she was. I mean it was so early in the morning and she was in his car it’s not like he broke in the house and kidnapped her. What this adult did was not appropriate anyway that you paint the picture.

    One of my questions though is were are her parents? How was a 15 year old out of the house at midnight? I have an alarm at my house and all doors and windows are secure and if anything opens the alarm will sound and I will know so there is no way out of the house at night.

    Also did the parents not check her cell phone, my 15 year old turns her cell phone every night when it is bed time and sometimes when she is on it I will randomly take it and look through it.

    What about her social media accounts? Do they not check those? I have all the logon info for those as well.

    I am sure that this girl is far from innocent but that doesn’t make it okay. And this is a grown man why not take her to a hotel or his place? Really a car.

    I feel sorry for these young girls looking up to these men thinking that these men love them and that they are going to be together.

    Regardless of any and all these circumstances he is an adult and he should know better no excuses.

    He has a young daughter as well how would he feel if one day it was his 15 year old daughter and her 38 year old coach?

  11. When are they going to make it against the law for the minors as well? It’s long overdue. They need to be viewed as adult predators as they are just as responsible.

    • Everyone needs to remember that this 15 year old girl acts inappropriately because she probably has been a victim of sexual abuse/molestation already. I understand she is in a foster home and probably has already had a very unstable life all along. It is easy to hate her because of her behavior but the sad fact is that Coach Marcus probably knew she was troubled, she was a player on his JV team and he took advantage of this girl, no matter how easy she made it for him and pushed herself onto him. He is the adult, he knows how much trouble this girl is. He should have turned it into a positive thing and told her she was worth more and tried to help her turn her perspective and attitude around. Instead he took advantage of the situation and victimized this girl again. Reinforcing the idea in her mind that she is not worth much. And now he is ruined forever, threw away all of the good that he has done for all of the kids up here. It is a heart wrenching situation and has affected many people of this community. The good thing is that the Palmdale girls went out strong on Tuesday and played their hearts out as a team. Now they know they can continue to move forward, continue building their skills on and off of the basketball court and rise above terrible situations. Palmdale Falcons and Standing Ovation Kids, we love you and support you in all good things that you do!

      • Is the first part of your comment based on knowledge of this individual case or a general statement? In case of the latter, may I suggest that you either never were a 15 year old girl or have known any (I mean appropriately) or that you are a daddy who could not in his wildest dreams conceive of his little princess engaging in such behavior….

        I am not condoning this behavior but this hysterical need to treat young people like infants when it comes to s3x is bizarre.

    • WRONG! No matter what the minor victim did, it was the adult in the position of responsibility’s duty to act appropriately. People that work with minors these days have to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. If Mr. Williams didn’t understand that, he shouldn’t have been around minors. This is 100% on him.

      • While this is true, there does come a point where you have to wonder about that “appearance of impropriety.” Doesn’t seem to be in play in this case, but…

        How much does a teacher have to do to avoid that? Obviously, you NEVER allow yourself to be alone in a room with a student. I had teachers who ate their lunch in their classroom so they were available if you had questions or needed extra help. Certainly can’t do that any more.

        And it still isn’t enough. To avoid accusations a teacher pretty much has to avoid ever being alone. Go out to lunch instead of eating with the rest of the staff? Now you have no witnesses to vouch that you WEREN’T with a student that wants to play you for a grade if they claim that you were.

        Who would volunteer for a professional environment like that? In my opinion, only someone who has no real alternative. The risk is just not worth the rewards, and that risk has a lot to do with the “it’s all the adult’s responsibility” concept.

        • what an idiot. He wasn’t falsely accused or at lunch. He was caught in the act with a 15 year old at midnight in his car.

          • Yes Mike, indeed you are. Thanks for mentioning it. I’m pretty sure people would ignore you anyway, but for new people such an announcement of your capacities is surely helpful.

          • Wow.. what’s next Tim? “I know you are but what am I?” maybe a “I’m rubber and you’re glue, everything you say bounces off me and sticks on you? ”
            Weak.

        • I agree, I have been a high school teacher since 2003. I keep my door open at lunch to let students come in and out, and will never be alone in a classroom with a student.

  12. Words can’t explain how I feel about this Marcus was like a father to me the person that I talked to that I could of counted on all the time. He did a great mistake that change everyone’s life but life goes no and we have to grow up. And all this is going on and that girl because she is not a victim because she knew what she was going very well.now she acts like if did nothing wrong around school she should be kicked out because you never know if she will do it again with another teacher

  13. Yes what this man did was wrong but the girl had fault also…i mean yeah girls have crushes on their teachers and the teachers of course should say no but that doesnt make the girl any more of a victim..the girl’s not stupid, obviously she knew what she was doin and so was he, they are both at fault…all im sayin is the girl is no victim just because she is 15.

    • It’s almost like teenagers these days are stupid and make dumb decisions and do things they regret. We should make laws to try to protect them from older people that might take advantage of that. Maybe some sort of law saying adults aren’t allowed to carry on sexual relationships with minors.

  14. Yes ! We all know that it was wrong but I think this girl knew what she was doing . She is no victim . She is a very fast girl from what I hear . I think they both should be punished . They need to start sending them to jail too . If not I think the parents of the girl need to take responsibility.

  15. I am one of his players for Standing Ovation freshman boys and he was like a mentor. He was the head of our team and Standing Ovation family. What he did was wrong, but he wasn’t a monster like most people are making him seem. He was a great man that made a huge mistake. We are no one to judge. He has hurt a lot of our family but at the end of the day we love him.

    • If he is the great mentor that you are saying then he would face up to what he did. He’s in a position of mentorship then he would admit that he made a Bad DECESION and hence suffer the consequences. He is setting an bad example by trying to convince everyone he made a mistake. You are suppose to learn from a mistake but he kept making the decision to continue.

      • Did u know him ? If u did then u would know that he is a good person that made a mistake . Did u know the girl ? If u did then u would know what kind of girl she is . It’s wrong because of a law . The girl is not a little girl . At 15 I knew exactly what I was doing ! She is not a victim . Put her ass in jail too ! The girl is known for lying and for being a HOE !!!
        She gets around .

        • So that makes it even worse especially on his part for being looked upon as a mentor!!!! He should of helped this “always lying and a HOE” 15 year old girl out! Mr X, GOD forbid that you ever have a 15 year old daughter and her 38 year old coach does this to your daughter!

  16. How can someone that’s obviously been to college, that knows right from wrong, that knows what the laws are and what happens to child molesters in prison, and knows how much time he will get in prison if caught doing this, that has a real good job and future, do something like this and throw everything he’s ever worked for completely down the drain? It makes no sense at all.

    • Not the first person to have hormones overpower their brain, and unfortunately he probably won’t be the last.

      Approaching the problem from “sensible arguments” seems to leave gaps. I wish I could suggest a way to fill those gaps, but I can’t think of a one.

    • He’s a moron, probably an entitled ex-athlete who thought he was above the law (seems like a theme with PHS athletics, ask Josh Shaw). What’s kind of “character” are these programs building, anyhow? And why does the school pour so much money and resources into them when the kids can barely read?

      • It’s amazing that people like you make comments about someone not being able to read because of something they done. The majority of white males who aren’t athletes and privileged don’t get these nonsense comments. Like always one group is always more highly criticized of those who commit the same crimes. You wanna bet he is not the only educated person who has been arrested. Go back and look at the AV press over the last five years.

        • I know he isn’t the only educated person to be arrested, no where does that person mention race. Neither should you.

        • It is pathetic to play the race card as it makes his dumb ass actions acceptable. I am a teacher and I know it is too common of an issue, he is wrong no matter what the heck his race is. Pedophile has no defined race.

  17. All of these ignorant comments and none of you know what happened exactly…I have a daughter in this team and I never would’ve thought of him to do this but as an adult he should know better. Students have crushes on teachers for years.its the adults responsibility to say no.

      • I rhink everyone up here in av knows about him but i just dont understand how any parent of young women would even allow there child to have practices alone with men coaches and he is human
        How do anyone know if he wasnt set up? because me being a parent and having a teenage daughter be out that late. He (was) a great coach
        AND NOW HIS LIFE IS RUINED!!!

  18. I personally know him he was my babii sister b ball coach at av high school I’d ah never thought he didn’t give the I like Little girls vibe but yuh never know

  19. This is what I don’t understand, here you have someone that has a good job, no criminal record. This is just another story of a person who now will be recognized as a registered sex offender. Where there are men and woman who at one time made a mistake in there life or was wrongfully accused of a crime as a youth 25 plus yrs ago with no re offense and society humiliates, and destroys there lives with means law and registration for life.
    What is it that were missing?
    I don’t belive it’s fare to have all of these people in the same category.
    There needs to be change. How many of you are saying to yourself ‘Not Him’ and there are so many more not hims. But instead we pass judgement on a man or woman on megans law one time read what it says and right away there a pedifile.
    We got things twisted.

  21. Man. This dude is a moron. He had such a pretty girlfriend who was of age and he goes and [removed] with minors. I will never understand these people.

  22. .if u ask me he’s wrong as two left shoes but why now would the girl say something now is it because she was mad because it seems to me that it was she wanted as well. I just can’t understand the grown ass teachers coachs and who ever else is grown going after these lil ass pissy tail lil girls when they can go after one if these grown women they wouldn’t get caught up but a lil ass girl she was sending him pics of her self. I think they need to start faulting the minors as well for their actions to. They knw exactly what they doing and want.

    • Pretty sure the dates are from this past December, and current January..so it’s fairly recent. “why would the girl say something now?” Because it just happened and sometimes victims are scared of what will happen, especially a 15 year old! At least somehow, some way, the information was presented and he has been arrested, and it’s within the statute of limitations! That’s what’s important.

      • Some of you missed the part where he was spotted with the girl on his car. Obviously they were doing more than going to mcdonalds! I’m sure it was a very emotional thing for a 15 yr old, I’m sure they convinced her to tell what was going on in December. The lady above seems to want to blame it on the girl, seems she thinks this guy should be with someone like her rather than a ‘pass assistance girl’.

    • You think they should go after minors? You mean the kids that dont have a fully developed brain like this grown man has? Hes grown. He knows better, she’s still a child. And how do you know she just decided to say something? Maybe her parents found out from her phone or computer and maybe THEY said something, hopefully the same thing you would do if you find out your 15 year old daughters messing with a grown man.

    • Even if she was involved of her own free will, it does not matter, underage minors cannot give consent for sex according to the law. A local paper stated that the coach and minor were found by patrol deputies in a parked car at 12:15 am on Friday, the coach was arrested, so the minor did not turn him in to law enforcement. Blame the coach for his stupidity in engaging sexually with a minor instead.

    • No because she got jealous of his wife
      And other past girls that’s why
      Women tend to awful things when there pissed off

    • The girl didn’t report him, he was caught in the act by Sheriff’s deputies who noticed a car parked along the side of the road with steamed up windows, and went to investigate.

      You are ignorant if you think a minor should be held accountable in a case like this, while many 15-year-olds (boys and girls) think they are mature enough to make the decision to have sex, I assure you they are not.

    • This is retarded. Sure she can make her own decisions at 15 years of age but at almost 40 years of age, he is required by law to not engage in any type of sexual conduct with a minor. if the minor throws it at him, it his still his job and duty to dismiss the “offer” as a law abiding citizen. If he didnt want it, it wouldnt have happened but he obviously went with it, which is illegal.

      • I read some of these comments they are unreal this girl just turn what 15. She goes to school with my grandkids. They say she is fast and yes she threw herself at the coach. She is still a minor and what grown man even thinks of looking at someone who could be their child or niece. He should have learned you can’t do dirt an d not get caught. His age/ her age big difference my granddaughter helped this coach with equipment and she is a beautiful young lady. I thank God he never hit on her. It wouldn’t have turned out good for him. It’s sad because he’s a damn good coach and he had a woman, so somewhere in his brain young girls were his thing. The kids are blaming the girl but being older you can manipulate a child. She I understand didn’t say anything. What the hell is a grown man doing sitting in a car early in the morning with a child. He screwed himself.

    • Mrs. Richardson, where on earth did you get your story??? The girl never told. HE GOT CAUGHT IN THE CAR LATE AT NIGHT WITH HER performing a sexual act. I agree that they should start holding minors accountable, however, that man knew it was illegal and still went on to perform the act. That makes him 100% accountable! Lets be real and not fabricate stories people.

      If you really cared about these girls and this matter you shouldve came to support the girls team at Palmdale High last night when they beat Quarts Hill. It was an emotional game and they won by 3. I was there showing support. All the girls were crying after the game. It was a beautiful game to be at. You shouldve come instead of typing on the interent false truths.

    • Sounds to me like they were caught in the act. Police stopped to check out a suspicious vehicle and found them in it.

  24. and he even video taped and photographed him with his victims… this is going to be a slam dunk anywhere else, but since it’s going to be LA courts, anything can happen- ask OJ or MJ, they had overwhelming evidence and got away with it. Let’s hope this a-clown doesn’t and get’s sent to prison for a long, long time.

    • Volunteer or not, any contact with students requires that one adheres to a certain level of ethics. I am a teacher, and this sickens me.

      • I totally agree, coach or teacher its still wrong. However, lets speak the exact truth instead fabricating small details on the story. He was NOT hired as a teaccher and he was not a part of the school district. He is a grown man and VOLUNTEERED to coach the girls team and he made a horrible sickening choice to engage with a minor. Now he will have to live with this for the remainder of his life. Thats a choice he made now he must face the consequences. But lets not make stories up on the situation that 95% have of you have no idea about. End of story.

    • I see nothing in this story that indicates he has any prior record. What makes you think that they didn’t do a background check?

    • im sure u used to live in palmdale and now live elsewhere. those are the only type of ppl who likes to make comments about the area even if the type of crime happens everywhere. just saying

  27. If he is guilty, Prison Justice will serve him worse than he can imagine. He’ll be asking for the chair.

    Aprik: There are female predator teachers too.
    However, this guy was a coach, not a teacher.

    I’ve been judged before, when I was innocent. It’s no fun, heart-wrenching [removed] when someone accuses you of a crime you did not commit. I’m not defending this man, but truth will be revealed upon trial.

  28. No, this happens all over the place! And sickos are EVERYWHERE.. Stop blaming geography and blame the person committing the crime

  29. Only in Palmdale,no;sick,no;evil and manipulative ,you bet.He is an adult,hired to be a professional.She is 15, regardless of how she dresses or behaves,the onus is on him to behave him self.
    Teach your children well

  31. It’s sad the the other teacher who has also done several acts with other students and was caught wasn’t put on blast by social media or by the news. People should know about the dangers of the other teacher as well because he might not work at Palmdale High school anymore but he supposedly works at another school now. The definitely need better screenings, maybe even a mental screening or something. Maybe a test every year or so. It’s disgusting.

    • Why would ANY other schools hire such a person after something like this? This means the BACKGROUND checks ain’t worth a dime.

      • Background checks check for record. They have no value as far as preventing a first offense. That doesn’t make them “not worth a dime,” it is just what the idea of a background check is.

        As to the “he works at another school now” speculation…according to the article he is IN JAIL now.

    • The reason the news/social media didn’t make a big stink in regards to the other teacher a couple years ago is because the girl was 18 years old. He wasn’t arrested because it wasn’t illegal (immoral and wrong, but he didn’t break any laws); he was fired because his conduct was very inappropriate. He may very well work at another school, but it’s not in the same district.The news only cares about those teachers/coaches who are going to jail.

    • My heart goes out to you girls, I pray you continue to have a remarkable season. Y’all have done the hard work, keep it up! Your awesome. God bless you now and heal your hurt!

  33. AVUHSD needs better screening and evaluation of their staff. This isn’t the only male teacher they have caught.

    • I think he was a coach. I didn’t see where he was a teacher. Better screening amounts to what really? They do the fbi background checks I’m sure. He wouldn’t be allowed to coach now, but a guy in his mid 30’s with a clean record would pass any background check. Should they hire private investigators? Profile people and say you look shady so you fail the check?

    • Any that is formally working with children in a school system is live scanned and ran through the DOJ. It will find any previous record or charges. I’m sure they did their diligence which would have allowed him to be hired. That being said it makes this a first offense. Excuses nothing but know that school districts do the best they can with screening.

  36. “Child predator gets 270 years”. Hopefully Marcus Williams will get a sentence similar to Jeffrey Thomas.