San Clemente Man Pleads Guilty to Lewd Acts With Girl, 14

A 30-year-old San Clemente man who had been working as a high school coach and college instructor pleaded guilty Thursday to a count of committing lewd acts with a 14-year-old girl.

As part of the plea agreement in South Municipal Court, Andrew Earl Malone was sentenced to three years’ probation, 57 days on work furlough and 90 days of jail through a home electronic surveillance program, according to his lawyer, Paul Wallin.

Malone, who had no prior criminal record, contended that the victim initially told him she was 18 years old, then 17, and that the brief relationship did not involve intercourse, Wallin said.

Since his arrest in March, Malone has lost his job as a walk-on boys’ basketball and baseball coach at San Clemente High School and as a part-time geology instructor at Saddleback College. “This is really a tremendous nightmare” for him, Wallin said.

The girl, who does not attend San Clemente High School, told police investigators that she had sexual intercourse with Malone at his home in February, according to court records.