Soccer Coach Who Was Arrested in Redlands Admits To Molestation

REDLANDS, CA -- A youth soccer coach who was arrested in Redlands in 2017 on accusations of sexually assaulting a young boy on several occasions over the course of a two-month period has admitted his crimes and been immediately sentenced to eight years in state prison, prosecutors said Monday.

Stephen William Morgan, 33, a resident of the United Kingdom who came to the U.S. on an employment visa, pleaded guilty Friday to three counts of committing a lewd act on a child under 14 years old, according to John Hall of the District Attorney's Office.

As part of his plea agreement, five additional lewd act counts were dismissed.

The crimes involving the victim, identified as ``John Doe'' in court papers, took place between May 1 and July 10, 2017. Four of the sexual assaults occurred at a restaurant, and one each in a hotel room and on a car ride back from Los Angeles, according to the criminal complaint, which did not specify the cities involved.

Morgan was a coach with UK International Soccer, and had been working in Southern California for the company since September 2016, according to his LinkedIn account.

City News Service contributed to this report.