Soccer coach who ran off with teen faces sex charge

ByM.L. NESTEL ABCNews logo
Friday, December 15, 2017

The former assistant high school soccer coach who allegedly ran off with a Florida teen was hit with a charge of sexual activity with a minor Friday, according to the court charging documents.

Rian Rodriguez, 27, who made his first appearance before a judge via closed circuit video in Columbia County criminal court, already was facing the felony charge of interference with custody of a child for allegedly taking 17-year-old Caitlyn Frisina from home for a week without her parents' permission.

The circumstances surrounding the additional charge states the former assistant coach was "engaging in sexual intercourse on multiple occasions," with the teen, according to the charging document.

Rodriguez was held on $125,000 bond.

Frisina was returned safely to her parents after a state trooper in Syracuse, New York spotted Rodriguez behind the wheel of the car they were last spotted in.

Rodriguez, who worked as an assistant coach for the victim's father at Fort White High School, was then extradited to Florida.

At the time of the reunion, the teen's mother, Scarlet Frisina, told ABC News that the family was trying to "work through things."

"Ward and I and Caitlyn are very tired, worn out, in fact, physically and emotionally, and we feel that: she's home, she's OK, we're seeking counseling to help us work through things," she said. "We are incredibly grateful for all of the coverage and assistance everyone offered during this very trying time."

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