(03/17/09 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)
Russell Otis, 46, boys’ basketball coach and athletic director at Dominguez High School in Compton, California has been charged by the Los Angeles County district attorney with two criminal counts related to alleged unwanted sexual advances on a 16-year-old boy.
Otis is charged with one felony count of meeting a minor for lewd purpose and a misdemeanor count of child molestation.
Both charges reportedly involve the alleged use of text messages of a sexual nature to the boy on August 30, 2008.
Reportedly Otis has been on paid administrative leave since September, when the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department launched an investigation into the alleged crimes.
Otis was arrested and booked at the Carson’s Sheriff’s station on March 7 and was subsequently released on $75,000 bond.
Reports indicate that Otis was charged and acquitted in 2001 on charges of sodomy and oral copulation with a minor.
03/19/09 – More Charges
Russell Otis was charged with four more felony counts Wednesday.
The new counts allege that Otis misappropriated a $15,000 check from Nike to the Compton Unified School District, depositing the money into his personal bank account in November 2007.
Two charges of commercial burglary and one each of grand theft and forgery have been added to existing felony complaints against Otis.
06/29/09 – Russell Otis Ordered To Trial
On Friday, Russell Otis appeared for a preliminary hearing and was ordered to stand trial on charges that he attempted to molest one of his players and embezzled $15,000 intended for his team.
Otis is scheduled for arraignment on July 6th.
10/05/09 – Split Verdict
The jury has found Russell Otis guilty of misdemeanor child molestation.
The jury found Otis not guilty on felony theft and forgery charges.
Reportedly, the misdemeanor charge requires Otis to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and could spell the end of any coaching or teaching career.
Otis’ attorney says he will appeal the misdemeanor conviction.
Otis was permitted to remain on bail until sentencing despite the prosecution’s objections.
12/02/09 – DA Won’t Re-Try Russel Otis On Felony Charge
Prosecutors announced Wednesday they will not re-try former Compton basketball coach Russell Otis on a charge of felony child molestation.
One of the reasons cited for the decision is that Otis’ misdemeanor conviction for child molestation will require that he register as a sex offender for life, meeting the DA’s goal of ensuring the defendant never teach or coach minors again.
this man brought pride and respect to Dominguez and to Compton… his genius inspired an excellent Dominguez football team, and Marching band; Otis put DHS on the map.. but i guess he couldnt keep it in his pants..
I LUVED OTIS HE WAS COOL. BUT I GUESS WHY HE DIDN’T TRIP OFF ALL THE GRLS TRYNA GET @ HIM
Man I went to the D back in 92 and played on the freshmen bball team. Sometimes after practice Otis would have pick up basketball games where him andhis favorites would cheat cheat cheat,but I never took him for a rapo just a fat liar. I saw hi at LAX a few years back and tried to say hello he gave me the cold shoulder…
Man, I knew him since the 90s. He would force the boys to take showers. He would take some with them as well. Russell loved big
This man was once a highly respected coach.
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-829145911.html
He went from the top to the very bottom. He was the pride of the Black community. Now he’s a shameful part of it.