CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / COMPTON

A jury will begin deliberations Monday in the case of Russell Otis, the former basketball coach at Dominguez High School in Compton who is accused of stealing $15,000 in school funds and making sexual advances on a former 16-year-old player.

Otis could be sent to prison and forever barred from coaching in high school if he is convicted. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Pat Connolly delivered the case to the six-man, six-woman jury after closing statements Friday.

Otis, 47, is charged with making unwanted sexual advances last year on the Dominguez student and for alleged theft and forgery in 2007. Prosecutors alleged that he committed theft when he deposited into his own bank account a $15,000 check written by Nike Inc. for the Compton Unified School District.

Otis declined to testify. His attorney said the sex allegations were motivated by the playing time the accuser was getting and Otis’ acquittal in a similar case eight years ago.

-- Lance Pugmire