High School Coach Pleads No Contest to Sex with Minor
Brian Hook Faces Up to Five Years in Prison
A Pioneer Valley High School basketball coach and teacher pleaded no contest to four counts of sex with a minor Wednesday inside a Santa Maria courtroom.
Brian Thomas Hook, 54, was accused of participating in a four-month sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student. Authorities say the acts took place both on and off the high school campus.
Superior Court Judge John McGregor found Hook guilty of two counts of oral sex with a person under the age of 18, one count of sexual penetration with a person under the age of 18 with a foreign object and one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a person under 18.
The Orcutt man was arrested in February 2014. His teaching credentials were suspended by the state the next month, but he remains on unpaid leave from the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District.
“The district stays apprised on changes in status and will follow the procedures as prescribed by the state of California,” district spokesman Kenny Klein said. “Typically, school employees charged with these types of offenses are placed on unpaid leave status.”
Hook acknowledged to McGregor that he was aware that, in pleading no contest, he waived his constitutional right to a jury trial.
Deputy District Attorney Brandon Jebens said the plea was not part of a deal.
McGregor set a sentencing hearing for April 2. Hook, who is represented by Deputy Public Defender Brian Carroll, is facing up to five years in prison and will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
“We will be making a state prison recommendation,” Jebens said.
