Former basketball coach Javier Cuenca sentenced to probation

Javier Cuenca accepts plea deal after accusations that he molested boys

Javier Cuenca was arrested on another charge of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A former basketball coach at two schools in Miami-Dade County accepted a plea deal this month after he was accused of molesting boys on his teams. 

According to a close-out memo, Javier Cuenca pleaded no contest Oct. 11 to two counts of felony battery. 

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File: Close-out memo for Javier Cuenca

Under conditions of the plea deal, he will be on probation for two years and attend mental health counseling at least once a month. He is also not allowed to have contact with the four boys who accused him. Cuenca cannot participate in any activity that would put him in a position of authority over minors and has to donate $1,000 to the Denise Moon Fund.

Cuenca was arrested in July on a lewd and lascivious molestation charge, while he was out on bond from a 2014 arrest on similar charges.

Miami-Dade police said Cuenca was a math teacher and basketball coach at Miami Gardens Middle School in 2010 when he molested a 12-year-old basketball player.

According to an arrest affidavit, Cuenca acted as a mentor to the boy and wanted to groom him into becoming a college basketball player.

Cuenca "would call and send text messages to the victim excessively, advising him to stay away from girls so that he could fully concentrate on basketball," the arrest affidavit said. Cuenca"told the victim about players that he helped develop and moved on to play college basketball."

According to the affidavit, Cuenca said he helped the other players by providing them with performance-enhancing drugs and offered to give the boy the same. However, Cuenca said he would have to check the boy's penis, which he called a "penis line," to make sure he was ready to take the steroid.

The victims said Cuenca also fondled them on other occasions.

Cuenca was arrested in November 2014 after police said he committed similar acts while he was a basketball coach at Hialeah Gardens Senior High School. He was fired by the Miami-Dade County school district when the allegations against him were first made in 2013.

According to the close-out memo, the state "had to negotiate a sentence which is less than what the defendant deserves due to factors beyond the control of the state, law enforcement and the victims." The reasons include limited evidence in the case and the fact that the reports of abuse were delayed.

Prosecutors said Cuenca previously denied the claims of abuse, and there were no eyewitnesses to the abuse. He faces up to 10 years in prison if he violates any of the terms of his probation.


About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.