Youth Soccer Coach Admits to Exploiting Teen

McALLEN, Texas – A former McAllen youth league soccer coach, identified as Oscar Hinojosa, has admitted to the horrific sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old player, federal prosecutors announced today. Hinojosa, who was illegally residing in Pharr, Texas, entered a guilty plea to the charge, bringing a disturbing case to light.

According to court documents, Hinojosa began communicating with the victim in March 2020, systematically grooming her over the following 15 months. The relationship, built on deceit and manipulation, quickly devolved into a pattern of sexual coercion. Hinojosa, leveraging his position of authority as her coach, confessed his “love” for the girl and explicitly expressed his sexual desire, a calculated tactic to gain control.

The abuse escalated as Hinojosa demanded increasingly explicit content from the victim. He directed her to send sexually-explicit photographs of her genitalia in a specific pose, and she tragically complied on multiple occasions. This isn’t just a case of inappropriate contact; it’s a predatory act that shattered the trust placed in a supposed mentor. The details, laid bare in the DOJ announcement, paint a grim picture of calculated abuse.

The investigation revealed that Hinojosa didn’t stop with one victim. He also attempted to cultivate a similar exploitative relationship with another minor female on his soccer team. While unsuccessful in that attempt, his expression of “love” towards her demonstrates a clear pattern of predatory behavior and a disturbing willingness to target vulnerable young girls. Hinojosa is not a U.S. citizen and was residing in the country illegally.

The case was spearheaded by the Mission Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations, a testament to the importance of collaborative law enforcement. U.S. District Judge Alvarez accepted Hinojosa’s plea and scheduled sentencing for March 18, 2022. He faces a potential sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison. Hinojosa remains in custody pending that hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colton T. Turner is prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to combat the escalating epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. PSC brings together federal, state, and local resources to identify, apprehend, and prosecute perpetrators while simultaneously rescuing victims. For more information about PSC and internet safety resources, visit the Department of Justice’s PSC page and resources tab.

RELATED: Youth Coach Hinojosa Admits to Exploiting Teen