Additional Child Sex Charges Filed Against Illegal Immigrant Soccer Coach in Murder Case

Child sex charges continue to pile up against Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, a 44-year-old illegal immigrant from El Salvador accused of sexually assaulting and murdering one of his young soccer players. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has filed nine additional child sex charges against Garcia-Aquino this week, dramatically expanding the case against the youth coach.

The new charges include eight counts of sodomy of a person under age 16 and one count of oral copulation of a minor under 16, according to an amended complaint obtained from court documents. Garcia-Aquino has reportedly pleaded not guilty to these additional charges through his attorney.

These new allegations come on top of existing charges related to the murder of 13-year-old Oscar Hernandez, whom prosecutors say Garcia-Aquino sexually assaulted and killed on March 28. Court documents also indicate Garcia-Aquino is accused of a separate sexual assault and rape of another child in December 2022.

Garcia-Aquino had established himself as a youth soccer coach in the San Fernando Valley after entering the United States as what immigration officials classify as a “gotaway” – someone who crossed the border illegally and evaded immediate capture. His position coaching youth teams regularly brought him to Whitsett Fields Park in North Hollywood, where youth soccer games are played and where he allegedly met young Oscar Hernandez.

Investigators say Hernandez was last seen leaving his home in Sun Valley to meet with the soccer coach. The boy was later found dead along the side of a road. The circumstances of the murder have shocked the local community and raised serious questions about how the suspect was able to gain such unfettered access to vulnerable children.

A third case involving an alleged sexual assault by Garcia-Aquino on February 22, 2024, was later added to the growing list of charges. According to the complaint, he allegedly assaulted this minor numerous other times between September 2022 and July 2023, establishing a pattern of predatory behavior spanning many months.

Law enforcement officials have indicated that Garcia-Aquino may have specifically targeted families without legal immigration status. The murdered boy’s brother told CBS News that he believed the coach deliberately sought out undocumented families, potentially exploiting their reluctance to interact with authorities.

In one case involving the sexual assault of a 14-year-old boy, Garcia-Aquino reportedly “befriended” a family through a local soccer program. The teen’s parents eventually allowed their son to stay overnight at Garcia-Aquino’s home, where the alleged assault took place, according to officials.

The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement last year describing thirteen-year-old Oscar Hernandez as “an innocent child who was exploited and killed by this depraved illegal alien who should have never been in this country.”

As the charges continue to mount, Garcia-Aquino could potentially face the death penalty if convicted. The LA County District Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting the case, has declined to comment further, citing the ongoing nature of the proceedings.

The case has intensified national debate around immigration enforcement, with some officials linking the tragedy to broader border security concerns. It also highlights the vulnerability of children in youth sports programs where adults can gain positions of trust and authority without adequate vetting or oversight.

Garcia-Aquino remains in custody as the case progresses through the California court system.