N.J. youth soccer coach admits soliciting sexual photos from his players

A youth soccer coach has admitted to contacting numerous children on social media to solicit sexual photos.
Ryan Gunsauls, 33, of Union Beach, pleaded guilty last week to two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of attempted endangering, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office said on Monday.
An investigation earlier this year found that Gunsauls was soliciting and distributing sexually explicit materials with an unnamed child through social media, prosecutors said. Soon after, eight more children were identified as victims. They were student-athletes formerly under his supervision and range in age from 11 to 17, authorities said.
Gunsauls was arrested in May and later indicted on 30 counts. His indictment included charges of sexual contact with two children.
Prosecutors did not say where he was a youth coach.
His sentencing is scheduled for March 6. The state is expected to recommend a 12-year sentence.
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Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at [email protected].