A former youth track coach from Waldorf, Maryland, will spend more than 20 years in prison after being sentenced for second degree rape, child pornography, and other offenses.
Over the summer, 34-year-old Warren Gray plead guilty to the abuse, which started in 2017 when the victim was just 13 years old. It went on for four years and in 2021, Gray was arrested.
The victim was a member of the track and field team at New Wave Track Club.
Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy said even after his arrest, Gray tried to argue that he believed that the victim was another coach on the team and not a 13-year-old girl — a claim Braveboy said nobody was buying.
“It was completely unbelievable. We didn’t believe it. The judge certainly didn’t believe it,” said Braveboy. “He didn’t take full responsibility because he wanted to still make excuses for why he did such a horrible thing. And the judge didn’t buy it.”
The abuse was discovered by the victim’s mother, who found images and videos on the victim’s laptop showing the two involved in sexual activity.
“This is all about his decisions,” said Braveboy. “I think he was able to, over time, gain and earn her confidence. And so she really thought he cared about her. But at some point, as she got older, she realized that something was wrong. Obviously, the relationship at some point did end and her mother discovered the videos and images and brought her daughter in to file charges.”
Gray was sentenced to 21 years in prison, near the top of the guidelines, said Braveboy.
