Santa Ana Police Department
Arrested: Tracey Stephan Fulford, (52) Santa Ana
On 7/08/17, at about 10:30pm, a 19-year old female victim came to the Santa Ana Police Department accompanied by her parents. She reported to officers that while she was 16 years old and a student at Segerstrom High School, she became involved in an inappropriate relationship with her male basketball coach, who she identified as 52-year old Tracey Stephan Fulford of Santa Ana. The victim reported that during private basketball lessons she willingly followed Fulford into a storage room and other locations in the school gymnasium and they would engage in inappropriate sexual acts. The relationship continued past her 18th birthday at which time they engaged in consensual sex away from the school.
The victim advised officers that on 7/07/17, she met with school coaching staff to report the inappropriate sexual relationship with Fulford when she was a student at the school. The victim stated she believes staff made attempts to discourage her from speaking out about the sexual relationship and that is why she reported the crime to the SAPD. Detectives will work with the Santa Ana Unified School District and their Police Department to investigate any allegations of staff, failing to complete mandated reporting of the incident to police or the school administrators.
On 7/9/2017, officers responded to Fulford’s Santa Ana residence where he rents a room. The owner of the residence stated Fulford was working in Irvine. Officers responded to the suspect’s place of employment where they arrested him without incident. Fulford was transported to the Santa Ana Police Department where he was interviewed reference the allegations against him. Based on the information officers obtained during their investigation and incriminating statements made by the suspect, Fulford was booked at the Santa Ana Jail for PC 288/ 647.6 Child Molest, PC 314 Lewd Conduct and PC 313 Distributing Harmful Matter to a Child. His bail is set at $100,000.
Suspect Tracey Stephan Fulford has been a basketball and track & field coach in the SAUSD for 37 years, often providing students private lessons. SAPD Detectives believe there may be additional victims and ask anyone with information contact Detective E. Majors at 714-245-8378, emajors@santa-ana.org or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.
Booking Charges: PC 288/ 647.6 Child Molest, PC 314 Lewd Conduct and PC 313 Distributing Harmful Matter to a Child. His bail is set at $100,000.
that was my coach…
Why wait till you graduate to report it. He is innocent
Agree!
Y does any rape victim stay quiet…. Because the are AFRAID moron……
Why do most if not all rape victims stay quiet… Because they’re AFRAID!!!
Why did she wait so long to report this? I’m not condoning what this cochino did, and I hope he rots in jail for the rest of his life, but why did this girl wait? She had consensual sex with him as an adult. I wonder if at 19, she was too old for this pervert. It’s a sad world we live in. I just hope that this was an isolated incident, but unfortunately I don’t think it is.
interesting that the news NEVER reported that the charges were DROPPED because she LIED…
I think it would be up to the defense attorney to put out a press release but perhaps they just wanted to put this to rest.