Thermal Coach Who Sexually Abused Girls Slated for Sentencing

BANNING (CNS) - A former Coachella Valley girls soccer coach who
molested and propositioned multiple students is slated to be sentenced today to
more than 25 years in state prison.
  

A Banning jury in October convicted 30-year-old Juan Manuel Pantoja
Troncoso of Salton City of three counts each of forcible lewd acts on a child
and contacting a minor for the purpose of perpetrating a sexual offense, four
counts of annoying a child and one count of battery, with sentence-enhancing
allegations of targeting multiple victims.
  

Jurors deadlocked on only one misdemeanor count alleging annoyance of
a minor.
  

During Thursday's hearing at the Banning Justice Center, Riverside
County Superior Court Judge Mark Singerton is scheduled to rule on a motion for
a new trial by the defense before proceeding with the sentencing hearing.
  

Court records indicated that a defense motion seeking a postponement
was received Tuesday, but it was uncertain whether Singerton would approve the
continuance.
  

Troncoso, who had no documented prior felony convictions, is being
held without bail at the Smith Correctional Facility.
  

Deputy District Attorney Thomas Farnell rendered a detailed account of
the five victims' recollections of what occurred during their interactions
with the defendant, when he was one of the lead athletics coaches in the After-
School Education & Safety Program at Toro Canyon Middle School in Thermal in
2019.
  

One of Troncoso's primary targets was a then-13-year-old soccer player
identified only as ``V.R.'' The girl said that during an encounter on
campus, the defendant ``forcibly grabbed her wrist and placed her hand on his
penis, putting his mouth on her breasts and touching her vagina,'' Farnell
said.
  

During a school-sponsored Halloween carnival, Troncoso also cornered
V.R. with the ``intent to molest her,'' though she was ultimately able to get
away from him, the prosecutor said.
  

He later asked her during a soccer practice session if she ``wanted to
do it'' with him, Farnell said.
  

He said that a 13-year-old identified as ``M.H.'' was groped by
Troncoso, and when a 14-year-old player identified as ``J.G.'' asked his
opinion about her new shirt, Troncoso responded, ``Everything looks good on
you,'' Farnell told jurors, citing it as an instance of lewd communication.
  

The defendant accosted a 13-year-old girl identified as ``M.C.,''
asking her point-blank if she ``wanted to (expletive),'' then offering her cash
to fulfill the request, which frightened the child, the prosecution said.
  

A 12-year-old identified as ``A.N.'' told sheriff's investigators that
she and Troncoso initially ``had a good friendship, but he took
advantage,'' Farnell said.
  

He reminded jurors how the girl testified the defendant put his hands
around her stomach and called her ``gordita,'' encouraging her to ``ditch with
him'' before a class.
  

The campus' principal soccer coach, Javier Perez, said some of the
girls refused to take to the field unless he was present, fearing Troncoso's
behavior, Farnell recalled. He additionally pointed to testimony by middle
school teacher Maria Sylva, who described the defendant as liking ``12- to 14-
year-old girls. That's his type.''
  

Defense attorney Melanie Roe countered that most of the witnesses were
negatively influenced by Sylva, who bore unexplained animosity toward
Troncoso and had spoken with the girls before they went to authorities.
   ``Sylva contaminated the memories of these girls,'' Roe told jurors.
``She had a mean-spirited intent.''
   She said the witnesses, now in their late teens, had ideas planted by
Sylva, including the use of words such as ``uncomfortable'' and
``inappropriate,'' which students in their early teens wouldn't normally convey
unless an adult, in this case an educator, had steered them toward such terms.
  

As to whether her client had made casual observations or offered
supportive hugs to the youths, Roe questioned where the line was drawn between
criminal offense and friendly chat.
  

She praised Troncoso's character, pointing out he was holding down
three jobs to support his family at the time of his arrest in 2020.
  

The defendant was dismissed by the Coachella Valley Unified School
District in the winter of 2020, after his arrest.
  

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