Sebastopol, California - Tennis Coach Casey Connaway Accused of Sexually Abusing Girl Who Took Lessons

Tennis Coach Casey Connaway Arrested on Sex Abuse Charges

Last Updated: 7/13/2020

43-year-old tennis coach Casey Connaway was arrested on Monday, January 6 for allegedly sexually abusing a girl who took lessons from him over a period of several years.

The Sonoma Sheriff’s Office began investigating Connaway in October 2019 after a woman contacted them to report that he had sexually abused her for years when she was a minor. She also told the authorities that she was concerned there could be other victims.

The woman said she was 15 years old when she started taking lessons from Connaway at Ragle Ranch Regional Park in Sebastopol. She told officials that he started an “unsolicited emotional relationship” with her and convinced her to have sex with them. This abuse continued for two years.

During their investigation, detectives found that two other minors had complained about inappropriate statements made by Connaway during a 2017 tennis camp. Deputies responded to this complaint but did not file charges because they determined that no crime had taken place.

The sheriff’s office is currently investigating to determine if there have been other victims. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact their office.

Legal Options For Youth Sports Sex Abuse Victims and Their Families

Attorney contributor Bobby Thompson is a sex abuse lawyer who represents victims and their families directly in civil lawsuits against sexual predators and negligent third parties. Here are some of his thoughts on the legal rights of youth sports sex abuse victims and their families:

“Sexual predators are commonly found to regularly work with children and are held in a position of trust and power. Because of this, the victims of sexual abuse often have grounds for a lawsuit against the perpetrator and even the sports organization if there were negligence that allowed such an incident to happen,” Mr. Thompson continues to share.

“Our sex abuse victims lawyers have seen numerous cases of youth sports coaches sexually abusing children they’ve coached. When this happens, it’s important that the victim and their family are aware of their legal options,” concludes Mr. Thompson.

Sources:

https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/sebastopol-tennis-coach-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-15-year-old-arrested/

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/10559244-181/sebastopol-tennis-coach-arrested-on