Charges Filed Against Ex-Long Beach Baseball Coach Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Student

LONG BEACH, CA — A former Long Beach high school baseball coach has been charged with numerous sex crimes that occurred off-campus with a student, according to authorities.

Prosecutors say ex-Cabrillo High School baseball coach and substitute custodian Gabriel Vigil, 34, made his first court appearance Monday, where he pleaded not guilty to the following charges:

• One felony count each of sexual penetration of a person under 18
• One felony count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor more than three years younger
• One felony count of oral copulation of a person under 18
• One felony count of contacting a minor for a sexual offense
• One felony count of distributing or showing pornography to a minor.
• Two felony counts of meeting a minor for lewd purposes.

“Sex predators who exploit their position of trust in a school setting and target minors should know that my office will work with law enforcement to find you, arrest you, and hold you fully accountable,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement Tuesday. “We fully support the victim in this case as prosecutors in our Sex Crimes Division seek justice against the perpetrator."

The 34-year-old faces up to eight years in state prison and would be required to register as a sex offender for life if convicted of the charges, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

The crimes happened between May 1 and July 1 at multiple locations, including Vigil's apartment, according to prosecutors.

Detectives began investigating Vigil earlier this month after a Cabrillo High School staff member accused him of sexually assaulting a teenager. The 34-year-old was arrested Thursday at his Long Beach home after police say they gathered enough evidence against him.

School officials told Patch that Vigil was no longer employed by the district.

Authorities believe there may be more victims and ask that anyone with more information contact Long Beach detectives at 562-570-7321.