'You Took Advantage Of Us:' Athletes Confront Predatory Coach

LOS ANGELES, CA — A former high school wrestling coach convicted of sex-related charges involving nine children was sentenced Tuesday to 71 years in state prison.

A jury in San Fernando found Terry Terrell Gillard, 58, of Sylmar, guilty May 7 of 47 felony and misdemeanor counts involving seven boys and two girls that he met through the wrestling teams at John H. Francis Polytechnic High School in Sun Valley and the Boys and Girls Club of San Fernando between 1991 and 2017.

The victims were between the ages of 11 and 17, according to Deputy District Attorney Cathy Lee.

Jurors convicted him of three felony counts each of committing a lewd act on a child, committing a lewd act on a child 14 or 15 and oral copulation of a person under 18, along with 28 felony counts of procuring a child to engage in a lewd act and 10 misdemeanor counts of child molestation.

Several victims spoke during the sentencing hearing.

"Once you gained our trust, you took advantage of us," one of them said. "You sexually exploited us. You did so and have never shown any remorse for it."

City News Service