Former HS football coach arrested on sex charges

A former Moreno Valley High School assistant football coach was arrested for alleged sex-related crimes that included soliciting a minor for sex, a deputy said Saturday.

A school administrator was told Friday that Manuel Eliud Leyva, 19, of Moreno Valley, allegedly solicited several juveniles for sex during the 2012-2013 school year when he still worked for the school district.

The administrator alerted the sheriff’s deputy assigned to the high school and an

investigation confirmed that one such alleged solicitation happened in the past, Riverside County sheriff’s Sgt. Joel Morales said.

None of the crimes happened on school property, Morales said, and the gender of Leyva’s alleged victims was not disclosed. Leyva turned himself in at the high school on Cottonwood Avenue and he was arrested, officials said.

Leyva was booked on suspicion of soliciting a minor and possessing the child pornography. Leyva remained behind bars today with bail set at $1 million, records showed.

Sheriff’s detectives believe there are other victims, and said Leyva used social media to contact and meet with minors.

Deputies asked anyone with knowledge about the case to call Investigator James Merrill at the Moreno Valley sheriff’s station at (951) 486-6700.