HOUSTON – A former YES Prep volleyball coach has been arrested and charged after being accused of having multiple sexual interactions with at least two students.
23-year-old Osvaldo Flores is facing four felonies, including two counts of sexual assault of a child, sexual performance by a child, and improper relationship with a student.
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His current bond is set at a total of $315,000.
YES Prep has confirmed Flores worked at the Southwest Secondary campus as a seasonal employee from August to December 2022 and again in August 2023 until his employment ended in October 2023, when the allegations came to light.
Houston Police told KPRC 2′s Bryce Newberry since Flores had access to so many children, investigators are looking into the possibility of additional victims and charges.
The alleged victims who have come forward were 15 and 17 years old at the time of their interactions with Flores.
After the 15-year-old girl posted a photo on Instagram, Flores allegedly texted her, “I know this is wrong, but you’re really pretty,” according to court records.
He eventually picked her up from her house before taking her to a parking lot in October 2023, when he’s accused of sexually assaulting her.
The girl’s parents realized she had left home in the middle of the night and tracked her phone to the parking lot, where they found her in the backseat of his car, according to records.
The incident was reported to the school, which eventually led to a 17-year-old victim.
She told investigators she would stay late to help clean up after games or practices and one day, she noticed that Flores was following behind her, closer and closer, records show.
On at least two occasions, he’s accused of following her into a storage closet at the campus and “touching, fondling and groping” her around the beginning of the volleyball season.
“[The student] stated that [Flores] would stand behind her with his chest touching her back, grab her by her waist, and pull her closer,” the charging document states, adding that she was able to feel Flores’ penis touching her from behind while her clothes were still on.
While telling him to stop, the student told police Flores was laughing as he continued the touching. She said that Flores said to her, “No, no, no. You want this. You do like it. I know you like it.”
On another occasion, he allegedly followed the teen to her car and forced her to perform oral sex, records show.
Flores would reach out to her on social media and continue conversation with her in a group chat with the other teammates, sometimes asking for new song suggestions or sending her compliments like, “You looked cute today.”
Flores has allegedly confessed to his role in some of the acts.
He allegedly told police that he knew the student was a senior and assumed that all seniors were either 18 or 19. He added that after school, the two of them would “talk and stuff but it progressed more.”
“It’s a horrific crime and it’s prevalent,” Lisa Burgoyne, director of partner relations at the Children’s Assessment Center said. “They don’t expect that to happen in a place of safety, like a school or a church or a community, you know, center where we trust that our children are being taken care of.”
Data shared by the Children’s Assessment Center indicates 400,000 children are sexually abused in America each year.
- 90% of victims are abused by someone they know and trust
- 60% are acquaintances, like teachers or neighbors
- 30% are immediate or extended family
- 10% are strangers
- Only 31% of children tell someone within the first year
“It’s important for parents to have good relationships with their kids to talk about—you know—age appropriate, conversations about sex, about boundaries, about one on ones,” Burgoyne said. “If you start young and you’re having those conversations, then hopefully your child comes to you or you recognize that shift [in behavior].”
She said the behavior shift may look different in each case, but it could include a change in grades, depression, or anxiety.
“The effects of trauma are devastating to kids. They have long term health consequences,” she said.
YES Prep released the following statement:
“In October 2023, YES Prep received a complaint about inappropriate behavior involving a coach and a student from our Southwest Secondary school. Per protocol, we immediately placed the coach on leave and subsequently ended his employment after conducting a thorough investigation. The school proactively communicated with the families of the students on the volleyball team. We also reported the case immediately to the Houston police as well as the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for further investigation.
YES Prep expects all staff to uphold the highest standard of professionalism in all communication and interactions with students. We are committed to ensuring that all students are in a safe and secure environment, and we take quick and strict action when this commitment is compromised.”
Houston Police are urging any other victims to come forward by calling HPD Special Victims Unit at the Children’s Assessment Center at (713) 986-3250.