An Arizona man who coached baseball at a high school and for club teams has been arrested and accused of molesting children over a span of two years.
It is the second time he has been under investigation by Chandler police.
Richard Allen Gallegos, 53, was arrested on July 10 under suspicion of multiple counts of molestation of a child, sexual conduct with a minor and attempted sexual conduct with a minor, according to the Chandler Police Department.
Police said the alleged encounters happened between 2009 and 2011 and involved children ranging in age from 11 to 14 years old.
Two former players, both now adults, spoke to Chandler police in June 2018 and described multiple sexual encounters with the coach when they were younger, police said.
Chandler police said Gallegos was the subject of an investigation on similar allegations in 2009, but police did not have enough evidence to charge him with a crime.
At the time, he coached baseball at a club in Ahwatukee and volunteered as a coach at Seton Catholic Preparatory High School in Chandler, police said.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix confirmed in a statement that Gallegos was a volunteer coach at the school from 2009 - 2011, and that they are cooperating with authorities.
The school said police do not believe any of the alleged incidents happened at the school.
"The Diocese of Phoenix is committed to providing a safe environment where it values and honors every individual as created in the image and likeness of God. Great efforts have been made to put systems into place to keep our young people safe," the statement said.
Police said it is unclear if Gallegos coached baseball or had any interaction with children after 2011.
In a post-Miranda interview with police, Gallego admitted to knowing the victims but denied inappropriately touching them, according to his arrest paperwork.
