Former Salinas soccer coach pleads guilty to sexual abuse of 8 children

SALINAS, Calif. - A former Salinas soccer coach pleaded guilty last week to 12 felony charges that include the sexual abuse of eight children.   

Prosecutors said Julio Cesar Gonzalez Garcia entered guilty pleas on Feb. 21 to three charges of contacting children online for the purpose of distributing obscene material; one charge of providing children over the age of 14 with marijuana, and eight charges for unlawful sexual touching, including forcible lewd acts upon children under age 14.   

Gonzalez Garcia, 38, was a soccer coach at middle and high schools in Salinas when he was arrested in October 2022 after several people came forward alleging inappropriate conduct by him, authorities said.   

Investigators discovered that Gonzalez Garcia had sent graphic sexual images via social media to two teen girls that he coached. One of them told police that he had also kissed her and touched her sexually.   

Six additional victims were found, also teens from local soccer programs that were coached by Gonzalez Garcia, according to Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni.   

The victims were aged 13 to 15 years old, and told authorities that Gonzalez Garcia would offer them rides home after practices or games. After dropping off all the other children, he would engage in lewd conduct against the last remaining teen in his car, often driving them to a secluded area of a local park.   

Gonzalez Garcia will face a sentence of 30 to 41 years in state prison when he is sentenced on April 2 in Monterey County Superior Court, prosecutors said.