FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 5, 2014
Contact: Heather F. Williamson
Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office
20 East Market Street
Leesburg, VA 20176-2809
(703) 777-0242
BASKETBALL COACH PLEADS NO CONTEST TO SEX OFFENSES WITH FORMER YOUTH PLAYER
JUDGE TO IMPOSE SENTENCE IN SEPTEMBER
LEESBURG, Virginia – June 5, 2014. Marlow Mokassa Afshartous (a/k/a Marlow Talley), 40, entered pleas of “no contest” to one count of sodomy and one count of object sexual penetration in Loudoun County Circuit Court. When a defendant enters a plea of no contest, they do not admit guilt, but are not challenging or contesting the prosecution’s evidence. Pleas of no contest result in a finding of guilt by the Court.
Afshartous formerly coached a number of basketball teams in the District of Columbia and across Northern Virginia, including a team at the Claude Moore Recreation Center in Sterling. The charges stem from a sexual relationship that Afshartous had with one of his twelve year old Sterling players in 2012. The relationship came to light when the victim disclosed the relationship and numerous text messages between her and Afshartous to her mother and a close family friend.
Afshartous is currently being held without bond in the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center where he awaits his final sentencing hearing on September 10, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. in Loudoun County Circuit Court. Afshartous faces the possibility of life in prison.
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