Richmond soccer coach accused of rape

RICHMOND, CA

Richmond police Sgt. Brian Dickerson said Ivan Chavez, 24, was arrested on a $200,000 warrant.

Chavez was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on suspicion of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and contacting a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense, Dickerson said.

Chavez was on felony probation at the time he allegedly raped the girl and is being held without bail for allegedly violating his parole.

West Contra Costa Unified School District spokesman Paul Ehara said Chavez had coached the girls' soccer team at Richmond's De Anza Senior High School for two seasons during the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 school years.

The school district notified him that his contract would not be renewed after he was arrested in August 2006 on suspicion of raping a 14-year-old San Rafael girl he allegedly lured through MySpace.com by promising her a modeling contract.

San Rafael police reported in 2006 that Chavez had allegedly met the victim in a parking lot in San Rafael and then drove her to a home in Richmond ostensibly to sign papers. Chavez allegedly raped the girl at the home, and then drove her back to San Rafael, where he dropped her off, San Rafael police spokeswoman Margo Rohrbacher said shortly after the alleged incident.

The Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office charged Chavez with one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, but records now list the case as "inactive."

Although Chavez no longer worked for the school district when he was arrested Wednesday, he had been coaching a local youth soccer club and renting soccer fields at Richmond High School for league games, Ehara said.

Richmond police are still investigating the case and believe there could be more victims who have yet to come forward. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Sgt. Brian Dickerson at (510) 620-6668.

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