HS Soccer Coach Accused of Sending Lewd Images

PEMBROKE PINES, FLA. — Police in South Florida arrested a boys high school soccer coach Friday, accusing him of sending sexual images of himself to a minor, according to multiple sources.

Owen Cleveland Gayle, 38, of Davie, the coach at Somerset Academy in Pembroke Pines, was charged with transmission of harmful material to a minor, solicitation, unlawful use of a computer and promoting sexual performance of a child, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

Police said Gayle sent sexually suggestive text messages via the app WhatsApp to a female student at the charter school who was a volunteer with the boys' soccer team, the newspaper reported. Gayle had used WhatsApp to communicate with the team about practice and game schedules, WTVJ reported.

Police said the girl reported the texts to another soccer coach, who contacted the Pembroke Pines Police Department, WFOR reported. Pembroke Pines police detective Michael Silver took over the account to send texts back to Gayle, who allegedly responded with nude photos and requested nudes of the female student, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

Police arrested Gayle, who admitted to the charges, the newspaper reported, citing a police report.

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