Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies have arrested a longtime youth soccer coach in the Santa Ynez area for allegedly committing sex crimes against a child.
Jose Diaz, 42, was arrested in Solvang on Tuesday for having sexual relations with a teenager when she was 14 and 15 years old, according to Kelly Hoover, spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
Diaz was arrested for several crimes, included annoying or molesting a child and oral copulation with a child, Hoover said.
He is being held at the Santa Barbara County Jail on $100,000 bail.
Diaz has been a soccer coach with the local American Youth Soccer Organization girl’s league for approximately 18 years, and because of his involvement with local youth, sheriff’s detectives are concerned there may be more victims, Hoover said.
Anyone with information that might assist detectives in the case or help identify any additional victims is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Tip-Line at 805.681.4171.
— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at lcooper@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
