Robert Pope, Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, New York 2021

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Mount Vernon Coach Charged in Minor Sex Abuse

A 30-year-old Mount Vernon baseball coach, Robert Pope, has been charged with coercion and enticement of a minor, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Audrey Strauss.

Strauss announced the arrest of Pope yesterday morning, saying that he allegedly persuaded a 16-year-old minor to engage in sexual activity on multiple occasions between September 1, 2020, and April 11, 2021. The alleged abuse occurred in Westchester County, New York, where Pope coached baseball.

The charges against Pope carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Strauss praised the efforts of the FBI, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, the Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, and the Mount Vernon Police Department in connection with this investigation.

The investigation began as a probe into Westchester County District Attorney’s Office by Assistant District Attorneys Marissa Morra Wynn and Christine Hatfield. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division, with Assistant United States Attorney Marcia S. Cohen in charge.

FBI Acting Assistant Director Jacqueline Maguire said that Pope abused his position of authority as a baseball coach to coerce and entice a child into having sex with him. Maguire believes there may be other victims who haven’t yet come forward and is asking any potential victims and their parents or guardians to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.

Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah said that Pope abused his position of trust to take advantage of the most vulnerable for his own sexual gratification. Rocah added that her office is proud to work together with the Southern District of New York, the New York FBI, and the Mount Vernon Police Department to aggressively prosecute sexual abuse of minors.

Pope was arrested yesterday morning and presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison in White Plains federal court. The investigation is ongoing, and Strauss requests that any individuals who may have relevant information concerning Pope contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).

The public is urged to come forward with any information that may aid in the investigation. The FBI is committed to protecting children from those who prey on them and will prosecute and punish those who engage in this conduct.