Former High School Coach Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting 15 Year Old

DATE: January 31, 2023

CASE: Aaron Daniel Rios (Case #20FE013135)

PROSECUTOR: Deputy District Attorney James Wax, Adult Sexual Assault Prosecution Unit

On January 27, 2023, the Honorable James McFetridge sentenced Aaron Daniel Rios to 16 years and 8 months in state prison. He will also be required to register as a sex offender for life.  On November 15, 2022, a jury convicted Rios of eight counts of sexual assault against a minor, including one count of forcible digital penetration of a minor, one count of sexual battery by restraint and six counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a 15 year old, while being more than 10 years older.  The jury also found true aggravating factors that the victim was particularly vulnerable and the defendant took advantage of a position of trust or confidence.

Rios was a coach for the St. Francis High School track and cross-country team and a coach for a private running group called “Sac Elite.” He met the then 13-year-old victim in 2018 when she joined his private group. In March 2020, COVID regulations shut down the school’s running program and resulted in the Sac Elite athletes running in smaller groups. Rios began running with the victim during training sessions, creating opportunities to get access to her alone and gradually developed an inappropriate relationship with her. He downloaded an app on the victim’s phone that deletes messages after they are received so he could send her inappropriate messages. In early July 2020, Rios kissed the victim on the mouth and told her it would be their “little secret.”  In another incident, Rios grabbed the victim from behind and forcibly held her while he groped her private areas. The victim tried to get away, but they were alone and the defendant was bigger than her. Rios ultimately allowed the victim to leave, but told her she could not say anything about what had occurred.

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