Southern California high school coach sentenced to 2 years in prison for sex crimes against student

A former Southern California high school coach has been sentenced after pleading guilty to one felony count of sending harmful matter to a child, the Ventura County District Attorney’s office announced Friday.

Aaron James Mora of Oxnard was sentenced to two years in prison and is required to register as a sex offender for life. He also admitted to “special allegations that the victim was vulnerable and that he took advantage of a position of trust or confidence to commit the offense,” a news release said.

Mora, a former track coach at Oxnard’s Pacifica High School in 2022, pleaded guilty to the felony count on Oct. 17.

The 25-year-old began texting an underage female student and sent inappropriate sexual images of himself to the victim, according to the attorney’s office.

“It is critical that we protect children and vulnerable victims,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Edward Andrews said in a statement.

“A coach is a position of trust and confidence, and Mora exploited his position for sexual abuse,” he continued. “I want to recognize the victim’s courage and my hope is that lifetime sex offender registration will protect others in our community.”

Andrews, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Sexual Assault Unit, prosecuted the case.