News Release - Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office (March 25, 2013)
A former Bellflower High School track and girls’ basketball coach was sent to state prison for 28 years today for molesting a teenage girl over a five-year span starting when she was 13.
Deputy District Attorney Jessica Tillson said 49-year-old Bryan E. Shepherd was sentenced by Norwalk Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza. The prosecutor said the sentence was imposed after impact statements were made by the victim, her mother and the victim’s boyfriend.
Shepherd pleaded no contest earlier this year to continuous sexual abuse of a child and forcible lewd acts with a child. The 28-year sentence was part of a negotiated settlement of the case.
Since Shepherd objected to restitution, there will be a hearing on that issue on April 23, Tillson said.
Shepherd was charged on Dec. 21, 2011. He has been in custody since this arrest on Dec. 20, 2011, by investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau.
Although Shepherd was a high school coach, authorities said the crimes did not occur at the school. The victim was molested from the time she as 13 in 2005 until she was 17 in 2010.
Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
Criminal Justice Center
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News Release - Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office (Feb. 23, 2013)
Former High School Coach Pleads to Molesting Teenage Girl, Norwalk
NORWALK – A former Bellflower High School track and girls’ basketball coach pleaded no contest February 22, 2012 to molesting a teenage girl over a five-year period starting when she was 13.
Bryan E. Shepherd, 49, entered the plea before Norwalk Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza, who scheduled March 25 for sentencing. Deputy District Attorney Jessica Tillson said that under terms of a negotiated settlement of the case, Shepherd will be sentenced to 28 years in state prison.
The defendant specifically pleaded no contest to one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child and two counts of forcible lewd acts on a child.
Shepherd was charged on Dec. 21, 2011. The case was moving to trial and today’s plea came at a pretrial hearing. He has been in custody since his Dec. 20, 2011, arrest by investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Special Victims Bureau.
Although Shepherd was a high school coach, authorities said the crimes did not occur at the school. The victim was molested from the time she was 13 in 2005 until she was 17 in 2010.
Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
Criminal Justice Center
Forwarded by:
Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau - Newsroom
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
323-267-4800
http://www.lasd.org
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News Release - LASD --- Dec. 20, 2011
Bellflower High School Coach Arrested For Sexual Assault of Student. Possible Additional Victims. (LASD Special Victims Bureau)
Suspect Bryan Shepherd, a High School girls basketball and track coach, was arrested Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011, for sexually assaulting a former high school student.
During the investigation, it was discovered the suspect had allegedly sexually assaulted the victim over a period of four years. The suspect has been a coach at the school for the past five years.
Sheriff's Special Victims Bureau Detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying possible additional victims who may have been assaulted by the suspect.
Suspect Shephard is a 47-year old Black male who has been known to reside in Torrance. He is charged with 288(a) P.C. (Felony Lewd Acts With A Child) and is being held in lieu of $3,000,000.00 bail.
We are requesting any information regarding the suspect and/or identification of possible additional sexual assault victims.
The Investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau at (866) 247-5877. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
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