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David Arthur Riden, a former California high school football coach, was sentenced to nine years and four months in prison on Friday, November 18, 2022. Riden was given the sentence for secretly photographing multiple underaged students in the girls locker room.
According to ABC, the 53-year-old was an assistant varsity football coach at Los Osos High school in Rancho Cucamonga, California. In August 2021, investigators found a hidden camera in the girls' locker room in the high school. Investigators came to the conclusion that David Arthur Riden was responsible for placing the device and collecting "child s*xual assault material."
Details of the allegations against David Arthur Riden
According to the official statement by the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office, David Arthur Riden allegedly admitted to producing nearly 600 inappropriate photos of minors. On October 4, 2022, he pleaded guilty to multiple charges leveled against him.
The statement read that once they executed the search warrants, investigators found that Riden had a "substantial amount of inappropriate material." The investigators also said that from the material in Riden's possession, they identified as many as 21 juveniles.
Fox LA also reported that Attorney Gloria Allred is representing 48 young people who wish to sue Los Osos High School and Chaffey Joint High School District. They wish to sue the school and the district for harboring the convicted predator. Many of the plaintiffs stated that nine years in prison wouldn't be enough for the former coach.
Law&Crime reported that California prosecutors had secured a plea agreement from the disgraced football coach. They stated that they were happy that the trial would not go on for too long, due to the effect they could potentially have on the mental health of the victims.
The prosecutor's officer said that they are "satisfied with the outcome" and the felony charges. They added that the charges will ensure that Riden is "held accountable for his crimes" and that the victims won't have to go through a trial or any more emotional trauma than what they already went through.
One victim, the now 18-year-old Jordyn Stotts, said that victims were mocked by other students because of how the school handled and addressed the situation. Stotts said that the school didn't do it in a way that the "students could grieve and understand what the victims really went through." The teen continued:
"Students were going around the halls staring at us, posting on social media."
Stotts went on to tell reporters that she did not expect such behavior from Riden, as she had formerly considered him to be a kind and pleasant person. She said that while she does not want to target her former high school, she believes that the way they handled the situation led other students to bully Riden's victims.
The incident continues to provoke outrage among students and parents at the school. ABC reported that authorities believe David Arthur Riden may have many more victims, but cannot confirm the number.
