Ex-El Capitan Swim Coach Guilty of Molesting Teenage Student Sentenced to Six Months

Former El Capitan High School swim coach , 22, who pleaded guilty last month to molesting a 16-year-old female student at a private residence, was sentenced today to six months in jail, followed by three years of probation.

He faced a maximum three years in prison for a single charge of oral copulation with a minor.

"Did you really think you could get away with it?'' the victim's mother
asked the 22-year-old defendant. You are the lowest of the low. An adult knows better ... and should do better. You took away my little girl. What you did was evil."

"He did violate a position of trust,'' said the judge, who ordered the defendant to have no contact with the victim, her mother or her sister."

Defense attorney Jack Phillips told the Judge that Stevens engaged in a consensual act with the now-17-year-old.

"This is not a child, Phillips said. "She's going to be 18 in nine
months."

Stevens was never the victims swim coach, but they knew each other, according to a prosecutor. He said Stevens violated a position of trust.

Judge Deddeh denied a request that Stevens be allowed to serve his custody in a work furlough program.

In November, Stevens turned himself in at the and was arrested on suspicion of oral copulation with a minor by means of force or fear, sheriff's Sgt. Justin White said.

Stevens, a Lakeside resident who was previously a part-time swim instructor at the school, was booked into county jail in downtown San Diego.

The sex assault occurred when Stevens and the teenage girl were taking down decorations at a Lakeside home where a private Halloween ''haunted house'' had been staged, according to White.

The girl reported the assault the following day, the sergeant said.

Though the molestation did not occur at El Capitan or at a school-sponsored function, school officials notified county Child Protective Services personnel immediately after it was reported, according to , a spokeswoman for .

The district ''aggressively pursues allegations of criminal activity against its students,'' Martin said.

Stevens served as a ''walk on'' coach at the Lakeside campus from February to May of this year and is no longer a district employee, Martin said.

City News Contributed to this report.