Watsonville Police Arrest Assistant Soccer Coach Suspected of Soliciting Sex from Teen Players

WATSONVILLE (CBS SF) -- An assistant soccer coach suspected of soliciting sexual acts from underage players and sending them explicit photos was arrested Friday afternoon in Watsonville, police said.

Alexis Ponce-Mendoza, 18, was taken into custody at his Watsonville home and booked into Santa Cruz County Jail.

Authorities started investigating Ponce-Mendoza after a 15-year-old Pajaro Valley High School student told a counselor about explicit social media photos sent to her by her soccer coach, officials said. The photos were also allegedly sent to at least one other teen.

Ponce-Mendoza is an assistant coach for an independent soccer league and not affiliated with the school.

While detectives were interviewing the victims about the photos, they discovered the suspect was also allegedly soliciting sex acts from the underage girls.

Police did not release information about when the incidents took place.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detective Naim Figueroa at (831)768-3355.

© 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. and Bay City News Service. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

In:
• Watsonville Police
• Sexual Misconduct