UPDATE, MARCH 26, 3:40 P.M.: On Friday morning, Todd Sousa was arraigned and pled not guilty to 18 charges, including sexual relations with a 15-year-old student he met through his swim-lessons business. Prosecutors tried to push the OC District Court judge, Stephanie George, to bar Sousa from contact with girls younger than 18 years old, but the judge chose to limit the restriction to 14- to 18-year-old females.
Sousa has been out on $100,000 bail since Feb. 24. If other victims come forward, the judge indicated she may consider increasing the amount. The pretrial date is set for May 13.
UPDATE, MARCH 24, 2:05 P.M.: You may remember Todd Sousa, the 36-year-old swim coach who was accused of carrying on a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student. He was the owner of a swim school, Swim Ventures, which used a number of South County pools.
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Yesterday afternoon, Sousa was charged with 13 felony counts of lewd acts on a child, three felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and two misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
If Sousa is convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 13 years in a state prison. He is out of custody on $100,000 bail and will be arraigned on Friday at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach. The OC district attorney's office released a statement (it can be seen in its entirety after the jump) that goes into further detail about Sousa's sexual relationship with the young girl. Authorities are concerned there may be more victims.
The OCDA's statement:
SWIM INSTRUCTOR TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING 15-YEAR-OLD STUDENT WHOM HE MET THROUGH COACHING
*Orange County District Attorney is seeking the public's help identifying potential additional victims
SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney's Office is seeking the public's help identifying potential additional victims of a swim instructor charged with having an unlawful sexual relationship with a 15-year-old female student. Todd Robert Sousa, 36, Irvine, was charged yesterday, March 23, 2011, with 13 felony counts of lewd acts on a child, three felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, and two misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 13 years in state prison. Sousa is out of custody on $100,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, Friday, March 25, 2011, at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach. The time and Department are to be determined.
At the time of the crime, Sousa co-owned and taught swim classes for Swim Ventures, an Orange County-based swim school and program that offered lessons in leased pools for children and adults throughout the County.
The defendant is accused of meeting 15-year-old Jane Doe while working as her swim instructor. He is accused of grooming the victim and having unlawful sexual contact with her, including kissing and touching her breasts and vagina over her clothes.
Between April 1, 2010, and Feb. 18, 2011, Sousa is accused of escalating the unlawful sexual conduct including digital penetration, oral copulation, and sexual intercourse on several occasions. He is accused of sexually assaulting the victim in the Swim Ventures office, an equipment closet, and in his car.
On Feb. 18, 2011, Sousa is accused of picking Jane Doe and her friend up from Irvine Spectrum and driving them to the Swim Ventures office. He is accused of providing alcohol to both victims before taking Jane Doe into another room to have sex with her while her friend waited outside.
Jane Doe's parents learned of Sousa's unlawful sexual relationship from Jane Doe's friend's parents and contacted law enforcement.
The Orange County Sheriff's Department investigated this case. Anyone with additional information or who believes they have been a victim is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Lou Gutierrez at (714) 347-8794.
Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Walker of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.
ORIGINAL POST, FEB. 28, 3:45 P.M.: Another week, another story of an adult deciding to put his or her pervy hands on an underage child.
Todd Sousa was in the middle of a swim practice at JSerra High on Thursday evening when authorities walked onto the pool deck and placed him under arrest. The 36-year-old swim coach and instructor is facing charges of child molestation after allegedly carrying on a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl who was one of his students.
At the time of his arrest, Sousa was on staff as a coach with the Irvine Aquazot Swim Club. At the time of this story, Sousa was no longer listed on the Aquazot coach page. Sousa was previously the coach of the boys' swim team at Woodbridge High.
In an
interview with ABC-7, Jim Amormino of the OC Sheriff's Department said the mother of the young girl came to authorities after she found out that her daughter was “involved” with Sousa. Sousa is expected to face multiple charges, including child molestation.
Sousa has been coaching since 1994, which has authorities worried there may be other victims. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the OCSD. USA Swimming is also investigating the charges against Sousa,
according to The Orange County Register.
Along with coaching swimming, Sousa owns a swim school called Swim Venture with his wife. The program functions out of various indoor and outdoor pools throughout South Orange County.
According to his bio on the board member page of JackRabbit Swim, a “web-based swim school,” Sousa was twice named to the Who's Who of American Teachers and has also been recognized by the United States Swim School Association for his teaching. Next to the bio, Sousa is pictured with his wife and two young daughters.
