Arizona Softball Coach Found Guilty of Sexual Assault on Multiple Minors
Story originally appeared as Yolo County District Attorney press release –
“(Woodland, CA) – October 2, 2020 – On October 1, 2020, a Yolo County Jury convicted 43-year-old Arizona softball batting coach Buck Maldonado Thomas of multiple crimes including forcible sexual assault of a minor, first degree burglary, and sexual battery on a minor.
In November 2018, the first minor victim came forward and disclosed that Thomas, whom her family had hired as a private hitting coach, sexually assaulted her at her home in Yolo County, CA in July 2018. She had met Thomas at a softball tournament in Orange County, CA.
The West Sacramento Police Department immediately opened an investigation and learned of a second minor victim who also trained with Thomas in August, 2018. These victims were interviewed at the Yolo County Multi-Disciplinary Interview Center where minor victims of sexual abuse are interviewed by forensically trained experts.
As the investigation moved forward, two more victims from Arizona and one from Nevada told police Thomas had provided batting instruction to them and that he sexually assaulted them. These victims came forward after hearing about the case in the news and also through friends and acquaintances. These victims testified during the jury trial which lasted 3 ½ weeks. The jury took 1 ½ days to deliberate before reaching their verdict.
“Mr. Thomas used his notoriety as a hitting coach to gain the trust of the parents and the minor victims in order to accomplish his sexual assaults,” emphasized District Attorney Jeff Reisig. “We are grateful this trial gave these brave victims a voice and glad that the jury did justice in this case.”
The Honorable Paul Richardson presided over the trial and is scheduled to sentence Thomas on October 30, 2020. Thomas is facing a possible life term in state prison.”
