Venice High school soccer coach arrested for sexual assault on one of his athletes.

Venice PD arrested Edward Delehanty (31 years of age) for Sexual Battery by a Custodian on a Victim under 18. Delehanty, served as a Junior Varsity soccer coach at Venice High School during the 2021 winter season. Over a period of several months in early 2021 when he was a soccer coach at Venice High, the defendant began a sexual relationship with the female 17-year-old victim, who was a player on the JV Soccer team. It was found that the defendant would pick up the juvenile victim from her residence, to conduct “one on one personal coaching” for the victim. During this time he would engage in sexual intercourse with the victim in his truck and at his home. Our investigation produced audio recordings that corroborate the juvenile victim’s allegations.

Our current information indicates Delehanty was a soccer coach only during the Winter 2021-2022 soccer season at Venice High. Delehanty is no longer employed as a soccer coach at the High School. We’d like to express our gratitude to our partners with the School Board Police Department who assisted in the investigation.

Anyone with additional information may reach out to Venice PD Detective Courtney Zak at 941-486-2444 reference case# 22-0533.