Little League Coach Accused of Molestation

A Lawndale Little League coach has been arraigned on a charge that he molested one of his 12-year-old team members, marking the second time in two years that a league volunteer has been accused of molestation.

Michael Steese, who is free on $5,000 bail, was arrested last week after a 12-year-old boy told his mother he was molested while spending the night at Steese’s Redondo Beach house, said Redondo Police Lt. John Nelson.

The coach pleaded not guilty at the arraignment Wednesday. Neither he nor the public defender who represented him at the hearing could be reached for comment.

Two years ago, Lawndale Little League team manager William Anthony Boguille, 23, pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor counts of sexual battery after felony molestation charges were filed against him for regularly pulling down his players’ pants to spank them. Boguille, who denied that those events constituted molestation, was ordered to perform community service and was placed on three years of probation.

Although Boguille had no prior criminal record, league officials responded to his case by creating a new policy requiring a criminal background check on all volunteers.

Dan Fouts, president of the Lawndale Little League, could not be reached for comment.

Steese, 34, described by police as an affable man who had won the trust and respect of his players and their parents, works as a security guard for Hughes Aircraft in El Segundo.

The alleged molestation took place on April 13. Steese had invited the boy to spend that night at his home after baseball practice, Nelson said.

The boy, who had spent the night on Steese’s couch before, told police that Steese invited him on this occasion to sleep in his bed. Some time after the boy fell asleep, he said he awoke as a pillow was placed over his face, Nelson said.

After the boy was allegedly molested, he “slept on the edge of the bed all night” before heading off to a baseball game the next day, Nelson said.

After the game, the boy spoke with his mother and she contacted police.

Steese faces a May 4 preliminary hearing in Torrance Municipal Court.