Parent Is Found Guilty in Scyphers Tape Case

The man who taped a phone conversation with Simi Valley High baseball Coach Mike Scyphers, triggering a new batch of alleged rules violations against the coach, pleaded no contest and was found guilty of a misdemeanor charge Thursday in Ventura County Municipal Court for recording confidential communications.

Ray Rainer of Simi Valley was sentenced by Judge Vincent O’Neill to serve 40 hours of community service and was placed on summary probation for one year.

In September, Rainer recorded a phone conversation with Scyphers in which the coach allegedly tried to persuade him to send his twins, Mike and Matt, to Simi Valley to play baseball.

“I’m pleased with the fact that he was found guilty,” Scyphers said. “Maybe this will send a message to people that you can’t do things like this. It just wasn’t right for him to deceive me the way he did.”

Rainer, who did not return phone calls Thursday, has said he did not tell Scyphers he was recording the conversation.

The Southern Section ruled Scyphers exerted undue influence on Mike Rainer, who is playing on the Royal junior varsity, and the Simi Valley baseball program was placed on indefinite probation.