High School Coach Arrested for Stalking Student
In May of this year, a Dos Pueblos High School student reportedly began living a life of fear as the result of the activities of Justin Anthony Sell, 27, a former student himself at the same school, who had been employed there recently as a football coach.
Justin Sell
According to Santa Barbara Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Riley Harwood, Sell’s victim—a former student athlete and resident of Santa Barbara—became concerned with a series of annoying phone calls and the perception that Sell was engaged in “surveillance of the victim and the victim’s residence”.
The victim then learned that Sell had created a “fictitious Facebook account for the purpose of posting demeaning comments about the victim” and had gone so far as to make it clear he intended to relocate to the state where the girl was planning to attend college later in the year.
As Harwood’s report to the media indicates, “the totality of the circumstances caused the victim to experience significant sustained fear.” Pursuant to the victim’s report of Sell’s activities, an SBPD investigation ensued resulting in the June 21st issuance of a $150,000 felony arrest warrant for stalking, as well as a search warrant for Sell’s Santa Barbara residence.
Three days later those warrants were served upon Sell by SBPD Crimes Against Persons Detective Charlie Katsapis and his team. Sell was contacted at his home and taken into custody without incident. When interviewed by Katsapis at Santa Barbara Police Headquarters, Sell reportedly confessed to the commission of those acts alleged by the reporting victim and a number of corroborating witnesses. Harwood indicated that Sell’s actions were motivated by “his perception that his friendship with the victim was failing.”
Sell was subsequently booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of felony stalking with his bail set at $150,000.
Photo: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking
Read More:
Noozhawk- Ex-Dos Pueblos Coach Accused of Stalking Student
Santa Barbara Edhat- Former DP Coach Arrested for Stalking
