EspañolSan Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Officials Concerned There May Be More Victims
VICTORVILLE, CALIFORNIA (August 22, 2025) – A former Victorville softball coach identified as Armando Felix was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting an underage girl on several occasions.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department officials are saying that the defendant worked for several years as a softball coach. The arrest came after the police received a tip on June 30.
The sexual assaults allegedly took place between 2012 and 2013 when the victim was around 13 or 14 years old. Armando Felix was also accused of a separate sexual assault involving another minor he met while coaching softball.
Authorities have said that it is likely that there may be additional victims. Any person with more information is encouraged to contact investigators.
Liability for Sexual Assaults Involving Softball Coaches
School districts have a legal obligation to protect students from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. This includes protecting them against sexual abuse at the hands of school teachers and coaches. School officials must properly supervise students at all times and enforce all rules necessary for their safety. When a school fails to properly monitor students who are then sexually abused, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. There are several ways that a school may have contributed to a student being sexually abused.
- Improper Hiring: School officials may have failed to conduct a proper criminal background check on employees.
- Ignored Warning Signs: School officials may have ignored warning signs that a teacher is engaging in misconduct. Most sexual abuse is preceded by grooming behaviors.
- Ignored Complaints: Schools must thoroughly investigate all complaints and allegations against teachers. In far too many instances, schools ignore these complaints out of fear that they will harm their reputation.
- Inadequate Safety Protocols: Schools may have implemented inadequate safety protocols that allowed teachers or coaches to be isolated with individual students.
A school could be considered negligent for any instance of sexual abuse if they knew or should have known that there was a risk of abuse and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent it. Schools could be liable for abuse that took place off school grounds as long as the events were officially sanctioned activities. Liability for any instance of sexual abuse could also extend to several other entities. This includes any company or sports agency that kept children in their care.
Steps to Take After San Bernardino School Abuse
Sexual abuse involving school coaches remains a common occurrence. According to frontiers in Psychology, “Studies reported prevalence of sexual abuse (SA) by a coach ranging from 0.3 to 9.7% (Toftegaard Nielsen, 2001; Leahy et al., 2002; Alexander et al., 2011; Parent et al., 2016).” Victims of sexual abuse by teachers and coaches should consider taking several steps to preserve their rights and well-being.
- Medical Evaluation: Victims of sexual abuse are at risk of many negative health outcomes, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD. It is always a good idea to seek a thorough medical exam after any instance of sexual abuse.
- Police Report: Any person who is sexually abused by a teacher or coach should strongly consider reporting the incident to the police. The police can begin an investigation and take steps to hold the defendant accountable through a criminal case.
- Legal Counsel: It is also a good idea to seek the guidance of an experienced child sexual abuse attorney. Any attorney can take steps to hold the defendant and school district that hired them accountable through a civil claim.
Sexual abuse involving school teachers and coaches is often highly preventable. Part of the problem is that school officials may simply not speak up when they see problematic behavior. By the time any teacher is arrested for sexual abuse, there were likely numerous red flags that were missed. Any person that is the victim of sexual abuse at the hands of school employees may be able to seek some measure of accountability through a legal claim.
Investigating San Bernardino County School Sexual Abuse Claims
We at the Carrillo Law Firm extend our best wishes to all of the people who have been impacted by the actions of Armando Felix. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to the police. There needs to be a thorough investigation into all of the allegations made. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to make San Bernardino County schools and sports leagues safer for all students.
Have you or a loved one been the victim of sexual abuse in San Bernardino County? You may have legal recourse. Our team of highly experienced school sexual abuse attorneys is here to help you. We have consistently achieved some of the highest verdicts and settlements for abuse victims across California. Whether you just have legal questions or are thinking about hiring an attorney, we are here for you. You can contact our office anytime at 626-799-9375.
