Long Island Coach Who Raped Underaged Soccer Player Sentenced To Prison: DA

NASSAU COUNTY, NY — A Franklin Square soccer coach was sentenced to up to three years in prison after he raped an underage player on his team and solicited nude photos of the player, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced Tuesday.

Sean Johnsen, 38, of Valley Stream, pleaded guilty on Aug. 1 to one count of use of a child in a sexual performance, one count of third-degree rape, one count of third-degree criminal sex act, and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

He was sentenced to one to three years in prison.

"Parents entrust their children to sports coaches and teachers every day, assuming that these professionals will care for their kids and help them to grow and succeed," Donnelly said in a news release. "This defendant exploited his position and standing in the community to prey on adolescent girls, manipulate them, and groom them into inappropriate relationships. Today, he is held accountable for that despicable violation of trust with prison time."

Johnsen engaged in a sexual relationship with a girl who was 15 years old at the time he started his conduct in April 2020, officials said. The relationship with the underage player he coached lasted through August 2020, the DA said.

Johnsen had sexual relations with the girl more than 20 times in his car and at a Nassau County hotel, authorities said. During that time, he messaged the girl and asked for nude videos and photographs, prosecutors said.

Johnsen propositioned a second player and endangered the welfare of a third teenager, investigators said.

Johnsen was a coach for the Franklin Square Strikers and a teacher at Fusion Academy, the DA said.

He was arrested by the Nassau County Police Department’s Special Victims Squad on Oct. 29, 2020. Brian Griffin, Esq. represents Johnsen.