HS Football Coach Accused Of Trying To Buy Child Porn, Solicit Sex From Minor

IRVINE (CBSLA.com)  —    A high school football coach is accused of trying to buy child porn and attempting to solicit sex with a minor, officials said.

KCAL 9's Stacey Butler spoke to players at University High School in Irvine who expressed shock.

"I worked with him on defense for the football team. He was a great inspiration for us," said Austin Lake.  "We didn't really expect him to do stuff like this. It just came as a huge surprise to the whole team."

The team said they remain in shock upon learning their beloved assistant coach Jeremy Osso was arrested on the charges including trying to initiate sexual contact with a minor on line and attempting to solicit child porn.

"The principal came down and explained to us. We were just honestly shocked we couldn't comprehend it at first," said Samiz Payan. "We never expected it from coach, he's a really nice coach."

Detectives with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force arrested Osso at his Costa Mesa home early Wednesday morning, authorities said.

They said he has been talking to an ICAC task force member who was posing as an underage female.

"I just saw them take a desk top, an Apple desk top, and there was a bunch of undercover cops," said Osso neighbor Joclyn Andrade.

Osso, 39, is married and the father of three.

Officials said he is also suspected of sending and soliciting explicit material.

The Irvine Unified School District says Osso was also an instructional assistant at Irvine High School.

A statement issued Thursday evening from the district, said in part:

"Effective immediately, Mr. Osso will no longer coach or have contact with students at University or Irvine High Schools or through any Irvine Unified school. IUSD takes these allegations very seriously and will continue to work closely with the ICAC and the Carlsbad Police Department as they move forward with the investigation."

"He's always helped me through a lot of stuff. Not just as a coach but as a friend, so this caught us as a huge surprise when we heard," said football player Jack Hausam.

Osso is being held on a $100,000 bail.