Mar 5, 2009 12:33 pm US/Eastern
Ex-Swim Coach Pleads Guilty In Child Porn Case
Investigators Found Child Pornography On Computer
Prosecutors Say He Admitted To Having Sex With Minors
FT. LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ―
A well known Plantation swim coach pleaded guilty Thursday to transmitting child pornography.
Roberto Caragol, 35, who originally pleaded not guilty following his November arrest, decided to change his plea last month. Thursday morning, he entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra in West Palm Beach. He could be sentenced to 20-years in prison.
Prosecutors say Caragol was caught after his email address was allegedly used to forward 4 images of child pornography. Detectives later found about 40 images of underage boys engaging in sexual activity on Caragol's laptop.
During questioning by investigators, Caragol reportedly admitted to having sex with minors dating back to 2001. In addition, federal prosecutors revealed Thursday in court that Caragol also admitted to sexual encounters with five underage boys whom he coached, according to the
Sun Sentinel. The paper also stated that court records show Caragol also admitted he had an ongoing sexual relationship with an underage girl he met at a swimming related event.
Caragol was fired as assistant swim coach at the Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale after his November arrest. He had been a coach there since 2006.
Caragol was also fired from his position as Chairman of the Florida Gold Coast Swimming, the governing body for all local swim clubs. He also coached boys swimming at Cypress Bay High in Weston.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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