Ex-Granada Hills Charter basketball coach arrested on sex assault charges
A former basketball coach at Granada Hills Charter High School was arrested this week on suspicion of sexually assaulting a minor and Los Angeles police are seeking potential additional victims, authorities said Saturday, April 22.
Gabriel Chavez, 36, of Chatsworth was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of penetration with a foreign object of a minor and multiple counts of lewd acts with a minor, Los Angeles police said in a statement.
He was being held in jail on $310,000 bail, police said.
Chavez was working as a coach at Granada Hills Charter, in the 10500 block of Zelzah Avenue, when he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a minor, police said. His employment ended in January, but it wasn’t specified if he was fired or quit.
Police said Chavez has a history of working and volunteering with youth programs throughout the city and police believe there could be additional victims. Detectives were asking for information from any potential victims or witnesses
Detectives Danielle Tumbleson and Ruben Arellano can be reached at 818-832-0609. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).