Baltimore County Coach Charged With Sexual Abuse of Two Teen Players
Prosecutors say digital messages, payments and gifts show months of alleged grooming while the defense says some conduct occurred outside Maryland and will challenge jurisdiction.
Overview
- Police arrested Roberto Garcia and charged him with multiple felony and misdemeanor counts after investigators tied alleged abuse to more than 10 months of conduct involving two teenage players.
- Court papers list four counts of sexual solicitation of a minor, three counts of indecent exposure to a minor, two counts of displaying obscene material to a minor, and one count of continuous sexual abuse of a minor.
- Investigators say Garcia used Snapchat to communicate with the boys and offered $100 to $500 for them to expose themselves, and that he gave one victim items including a plane ticket, clothing, video games and food.
- Charging documents allege some incidents happened outside Maryland, and Garcia’s attorney, Tom Maronick, has publicly stressed his client’s presumption of innocence and signaled a likely jurisdictional challenge.
- The case highlights how prosecutors may use digital messages and material inducements as evidence in youth sexual-abuse investigations and could prompt closer scrutiny of coaches’ access to players and mandatory-reporting practices.