By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Pitman coach now facing 12 charges of child molestation
Derek Young arrestee
Derek Young

BY JOE CORTEZ

Turlock Journal

A Pitman High assistant wrestling coach — now facing a dozen felony charges related to child-molestation incidents alleged to have occurred more than a decade ago — is set to be arranged today at 1:30 p.m. in San Joaquin County Superior Court.

Derek William Young, 41, was arrested Feb. 6 at 7:33 a.m. in the parking lot of Kaiser Permanente medical center in Modesto, where he is an employee.

According to the court documents, Young faces 12 child-molestation charges, including multiple counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14; lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 with force; and oral copulation with a child under 10 years of age. The latter charge carries a potential life sentence.

Young also faces multiple charges for illegally possessing assault weapons, stemming from the day of his arrest.

The alleged molestation crimes occurred in Ripon, according to Sgt. Paul Staley of the Ripon Police Department; court documents show that the incidents occurred between 2003 and 2012, involving three victims.

Young, a resident of Ceres, was booked into Stanislaus County Jail on Feb. 6 with bail set at $1.75 million. He was extradited and booked into San Joaquin County Jail on Feb. 9.

According to Marie Russell, Turlock Unified School District’s director of communications, Young was a paid walk-on coach at Pitman this season and last, and coached on a volunteer basis during the 2021-22 campaign. The district was notified of Young’s arrest on Feb. 7.

“At this time, we have no indication that any TUSD student was harmed,” TUSD said in a statement. “All coaches in TUSD are required to pass an FBI and DOJ (Department of Justice) background check and be fingerprinted prior to working with students. We also receive updates from the FBI/DOJ if anyone commits a crime while in our employment. The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority, and we encourage anyone with information to please contact law enforcement.”

Young was listed as a classified substitute in the Ceres Unified School District from 2017 to 2018 and 2020 to 2021, according to TransparentCalifornia.com.

Prior to his coaching at Pitman, Young was an assistant wrestling coach at Ceres High School and Mae Hensley Junior High School in Ceres.