SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 20 (UPI) -- A swim coach in San Jose, Calif., allegedly impregnated a 14-year-old girl who later had an abortion, court documents reveal.
Former San Jose Aquatics head coach Andrew King pleaded no contest to felony child molestation last spring and is jailed in lieu of $3 million bail while awaiting a Dec. 18 court date as part of his sentencing, the San Jose Mercury News reported Thursday.
Authorities allege King, 61, molested multiple girls he was coaching during a 31-year period, including the 14-year-old who kept her abuse secret until being interviewed by police this year. It wasn't disclosed when the sexual attack of the 14-year-old took place.
Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Ray Mendoza said Thursday he is seeking the maximum prison sentence of 42 years for King.
"He got to be free his whole adult life," Mendoza said. "He should have been held accountable a long time ago."
Released court documents show King was accused of targeting female swimmers between the ages of 10 to 17 years, molesting the girls and threatening their swimming careers to keep them quiet.
Supervisors and authorities failed to follow up on warning signs that were "everywhere," Mendoza said.
"Unfortunately, King fell through the cracks in the system: Two law enforcement investigations and suspicious conduct observed by swim coaches, parents or boards who did not adequately supervise the defendant," Mendoza wrote in the documents.
"The red flags should have gone up when King was only massaging girls behind closed doors, traveling alone with girls to away meets, taking girls to dinner, sailing on his boat and buying them gifts."
