Former coach and youth group volunteer arrested for sexual acts with minor
(FOX40.COM) — David Odom, 38, of Merced, a former volunteer high school coach, was arrested on Wednesday and is facing charges related to sexual acts with a minor, according to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s detectives began investigating Odom, after a witness saw him this past February, parked in a vehicle with who appeared to be an underage girl in an orchard on the property owned by the witness.
Through the investigation, detectives learned of a prior incident in 2013, where Odom was reportedly in a relationship with a 16-year-old girl but the case was closed for lack of evidence.
That girl, now an adult, and admitted to detectives she’d had a sexual relationship with Odom at the time.
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Odom worked as a volunteer assistant coach at Waterford High School in 2009, and a youth group volunteer at Community Bible Church in Waterford in 2012, both positions he held for about a year.
Another student that was mentored by Odom while he was working as volunteer coach, Keadan Lara, said it is a “relief that something is finally being done about it.”
“I looked at him as a father figure, for most of the time that I knew him,” Lara continued. “”He was strong… he was good looking,… good family aspects. So there really wasn’t like a lot to not like about him.”
Lara’s mother said she knew most of the young women who are said to have been victimized by Odom.
“It’s not acceptable… I knew these young women that were possibly involved and who didn’t want to come forward. And that breaks my heart,” Kimberly Lara said. “No young woman should ever have to go through that, especially someone who’s trusted in the community. “
More recently Odom served as a volunteer track coach from 2021 to 2023 at Hughson High School in the town of Hughson.
Odom was terminated from that position after being seen holding hands with a former female student, according to Superintendent Brenda Smith
“David Odom… was fired after staff observed him holding hands with a former female student who was 18 years old at the time,” according to a statement from Smith. “The current charges are related to his work in Waterford and alleged inappropriate relationship with an underage girl there in 2013. “
Kaeden Lara said that any other victims out there should know that, “you have a lot of people on your side, who now that they know about his crimes, will be looking to get justice on your behalf, even if you never come forward.”
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