Buck Lanham
Posted by Webmaster in Church Schools, Coaches, Florida, Hall of Shame, ME-FV(1/10/08 – Initial BBT Report)
William “Buck” Lanham, 48, a former basketball coach at Orlando Christian Prep in Orlando, Florida has been sentenced following his no contest plea on a charge of having sexual activity with a child.
Although the judge had the authority to sentence Lanham up to 10 years in prison the judge instead placed Lanham on “community control”. Lanham is on probation for 15 years, he must wear an electronic monitor for two years, is required to register as a sex offender, must hold a full-time job but cannot be around children under age 18 without supervision and is prohibited from having any contact with the victim or her family.
The investigation of Lanham started in June 2006 when the victim, now in her 20’s and attending college in New York, told investigators that she started having sex with Lanham when she was 14-years-old and an eighth-grade student at St. John Vianney Catholic School in Orlando.
Reportedly Lanham helped convince the girl’s parents to let her attend Bishop Moore Catholic High School in Orlando where Lanham coached when she started high school. Lanham left Bishop Moore in 2001 after one of his players accused him of throwing her to the ground, smashing a chair and grabbing her arm during practice the victim. When Lanham transferred from Bishop Moore to Orlando Christian Prep, so did the victim.
During the course of the investigation the girl revealed to investigators that she and Lanham had sex 60 to 100 times in hotels and at the coach’s apartment and that Lanham had video taped some of the sexual activity. When investigators served a search warrant on Lanham’s residence, two video tapes showing Lanham having sex with the girl were discovered in his bedroom.
Lanham basically confessed to investigators, saying that he loved the girl who had broken off the relationship when she left to attend college. The victim told investigators that she did not want Lanham doing to other girls what he had done to her.
During the course of this case it was revealed that Lanham had been sentenced to three years in state prison followed by 26 years of probation after being charged in 1988 for possession of four ounces of cocaine. Reportedly Lanham secured an early release after joining prison ministries.
While Lanham coached at Orlando Christian Prep the girls’ basketball team was state champions and he was named coach of the year.
References:
Ex-Orlando Christian Prep coach registers as sex offender (1/10/08)
Former basketball coach registers as sex offender (1/09/08)
Background:
Private Schools Hired Brothers Despite Criminal Past (10/09/06)
Top Orlando Coach Busted For Sex Tapes With Student (10/07/06)
School Coach Allegedly Taped Sex With 14-Year-Old (10/06/06)
Entries (RSS)