Sheriff – NBC 6 South Florida

Authorities are seeking more potential victims of a South Florida girls’ volleyball coach who was arrested last week for alleged lewd acts with a teen.

Arturo “Arty” Gonzalez, 55, was arrested Friday on charges of lewd or lascivious touching of a victim who’s 16 or 17 and offenses against students by authority figures, Palm Beach County jail records showed.

According to the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, Gonzalez served as a girls’ volleyball coach at a local high school and operates a private volleyball club for girls.

Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office

Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office

An arrest report said a 16-year-old girl had told her mother she’d been inappropriately touched by Gonzalez, who was her volleyball coach/

The girl said she’d been receiving a private lesson from Gonzalez on Oct. 10 when he made her feel uncomfortable through “inappropriate comments and physical contact,” the report said.

Gonzalez told the girl she had a “really nice body” and complimented her legs, the report said.

She also said he approached her from behind, rubbed her back, massaged her shoulders and then put his hands around her waist and wrapped his arms around her while she tried to pull away, the report said.

She said he put his hands in her stomach area and tried to lift off her shirt and she told him “no,” but he laughed and continued, the report said.

Gonzalez then allegedly touched her chest over her shirt before she was able to walk away from him, the report said.

She said Gonzalez apologized and told her he “shouldn’t be touching” her, and told her not to tell anyone, saying she “didn’t seem like that type of person,” the report said.

Detectives later placed controlled calls to Gonzalez with the teen in which Gonzalez apologized to her for touching her, the report said.

Detectives believe there may be more victims and are asking for anyone with information to contact the sheriff’s office at 561-688-4143.