Granite High School Track Coach Convicted and Sentenced for Sexual Acts with Teen

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VICTORVILLE – A Granite High School track and cross country coach was convicted and sentenced for lewd or lascivious acts with a minor.

Steven Lawrence Ortiz appeared at the Victorville Superior Court on the morning of Wednesday, June 20, 2018. Pursuant to a plea bargain, Ortiz pleaded no contest to a single felony count of Lewd or Lascivious Acts with a 14 or 15-year-old Child. As a result, four charges were dropped, including a second count of Lewd or Lascivious Acts with a 14 or 15-year-old Child, two counts of Sodomy with Person Under 16-years-old, and Providing Alcohol to a Minor.

The charges stemmed for the report of a missing 15-year-old Hesperia boy on the evening of April 25, 2018. The teen returned to his home before the deputy responded to take the report. He told his parents that while he was walking in Victorville a man, later identified as 58-year-old Ortiz, stopped and offered him a ride to a homeless shelter. The teen said that rather than taking him to a shelter, he took the teen home with him to the 13600 block of Dean Avenue in Victorville. Authorities said that the two consumed alcohol and engaged in sexual acts. The victim spent the night at Ortiz’ home, then Ortiz drove him home in the morning.

Ortiz was arrested on Thursday, May 10, 2018, following a search of his home and an interview at the Victorville Police Department. Authorities are concerned that there may be other victims. Following the arrest, Apple Valley School District officials stressed that the child was not a student at Granite Hills High School.

Ortiz was sentenced to one year in state prison. He was credited for 42 days of time served and 42 days of conduct credit for a total of 84 days. He will be required to serve 50% of the remaining 278 days for a total of just over 4 ½ months at the California Institute for Men in Chino, California. When released he will be required to register as a sex offender.