Former Wrestling Coach Sentenced To Six Years For Sexual Misconduct
WARSAW — A former Wawasee wrestling coach has until April 4 to get approved for a program that would give him an alternative to serving three of six years behind bars for sexual misconduct with a minor.
Joshua M. Vallejo, 29, 1404 Ranch Road, Warsaw, pleaded guilty on Feb. 14 to sexual misconduct with a minor, a crime that at the time was listed as a class B felony. The charge was in connection to incidents that occurred in 2013 and 2014.
On Thursday, March 21, Vallejo appeared in Kosciusko County Superior Court 1 for sentencing.
Police reported that Vallejo became sexually involved with a Wawasee Middle School seventh-grader sometime between November 2013 and February 2014 when Vallejo gave the girl rides home and took her out to eat on several occasions.
Vallejo’s attorney, John Barrett, told Judge David Cates “he knows he’s facing a significant sentence.” Barrett told the judge he didn’t see any aggravating circumstances in the pre-sentence investigation report and said he’d never “seen a report with more mitigating factors.”
Cates disagreed with part of Barrett’s assertion. “I disagree that there weren’t aggravators,” said Cates, stating that being in a position of authority put Vallejo in a position that should be trustworthy. “But I agree,” continued Cates, “I don’t know that I’ve seen a case with more mitigating factors.”
Vallejo received six years with the Indiana Department of Corrections, with three of those years suspended in favor of probation. Cates told Vallejo he would need to report on April 4 for execution of his sentence but that he could use that time to get approved for work release or Community Corrections.
“I take full responsibility for my actions,” said Vallejo. “And, I am sorry for all the events that occurred.”