Antelope Valley Soccer Coach Charged With Molesting 13 Boys

Renior Vincent Valenti had been coaching soccer for 15 years when he was charged with molesting 13 boys

A longtime Antelope Valley youth soccer coach has been charged with sexually molesting 13 young boys, including five whom he coached, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Renior Vincent Valenti, 50, of Lancaster, pleaded not guilty Thursday to five felony counts of continuous sexual abuse and eight misdemeanor counts of child molesting.

His arraignment in Antelope Valley Superior Court came more than two weeks after the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department announced investigators were looking for additional victims to come forward.

Detectives from the sheriff's Special Victim's Bureau interviewed more alleged victims and prosecutors added the additional charges.

A Thursday's hearing, Judge Chris Estes raised Valenti's bail from $1 million to $2.25 million.

An American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) coach for 15 years, Valenti was arrested in July after a mother alleged that her 9-year-son had been molested by him, according to an Aug. 15 press release from the Sheriff's Department.

The molestation allegations that led to an investigation into Valenti were not related to him being a coach, but investigators "believe that the suspect used his position as a soccer coach as a method to meet and befriend children," the Aug. 15 press release said.

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Valenti was first charged Aug. 8 with crimes related to five boys. Those crimes occurred between 1994 and 2004 for one victim, and in 2010, 2011 and 2012 for the other victims.

The investigation is continuing, the DA's office said.

Renior's name was originally released as "Renoir" in the earlier press release from the Sheriff's Department.

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