Diablo Valley College Instructor Accused Of Pimping, Sex By Force: DA

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — An instructor and coach at Diablo Valley College was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday on a nine-count felony complaint for suspected human trafficking, pimping and pandering, as well as charges related to the use of force while engaged in sexual acts, the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office said Tuesday.

Kyle Lee Whitmore, 39, of Crockett was being held without bail Tuesday at the county jail in Martinez following his arrest Sept. 7 by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office.

Whitmore teaches Communication Studies at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill– where he is also a track coach.

It is alleged that Jane Doe No. 1 and Jane Doe No. 2 were trafficked by Whitmore to commit crimes of prostitution, the DA's Office said.

Whitmore is also being charged with one count of pimping and four counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object.

Jane Doe No. 1 reported her situation to authorities at Diablo Valley College. After an investigation by campus police and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, Whitmore was arrested and taken into custody while the DA's Office reviewed the case.

The DA's Office filed its complaint Monday against Whitmore.

"There are tools at the local, state, and national level to help curb human trafficking and connect victims to trauma-informed services," Contra Costa County DA Diana Becton said. "For example, our office has a local human trafficking hotline, we have community-based service partners like Community Violence Solutions, and there’s a national toll-free helpline that’s available 24/7."

In 2022, Whitmore was recognized as California Community College Cross Country and Track Coaches Association Men's Track and Field Coach of the Year.

The Contra Costa Community College District emailed the following statement to Patch in response to a request for comment:

"The Contra Costa Community College District (4CD) can confirm that on Thursday, September 7, 2023, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office arrested DVC faculty member Kyle Whitmore. On Monday, September 11, 2023, the District Attorney’s Office filed a felony complaint outlining nine charges against Mr. Whitmore in connection with several offenses, some involving a student. He remains in custody and is scheduled to be arraigned later today.

"Upon his arrest, Mr. Whitmore — a tenured communications faculty member and former coach — was placed on administrative leave. The District is not naming the student involved to protect her privacy.

"The District is grateful to staff who, through proper training, were able to identify a serious situation and quickly report it to our Police Services, who subsequently communicated with the Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney. This is an ongoing investigation, and there are more facts to ascertain. We ask the community to be patient and allow processes to move forward without making assumptions or contributing to speculation.

"The District is devastated by the seriousness of the allegations that have been raised thus far. The safety of our students and staff is our main priority. We take seriously any accusations of inappropriate behavior by our employees and honor the expectation that our students, staff, and visitors have to be safe when they visit our campuses."