Santa Ana coach held on suspicion of sexual assault on teen boxer

A 45-year-old coach at the Santa Ana Boxing Club has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy who boxed at the club, police said Monday evening. 

Anthony Serrano was arrested Sunday night after the boy's mother reported that the coach had allegedly assaulted her son, said Cpl. Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department.

The child participated in boxing at the club for the last five years. About three years ago, Serrano began mentoring the boy and personally training him, Bertagna said.

Serrano allegedly began spending an extended amount of time with the boy at the boxing club, at competitions and at Serrano's Santa Ana home. Authorities believe Serrano committed lewd acts with the boy over the last year.

 Bertagna said Serrano allegedly asked the boy to call him Dad.

"The victim in this case did not have a father," Bertagna said.

Recently, the victim and his mother moved out of Santa Ana. The child then informed his mother about the alleged incidents, and she reported it to the Orange County Youth Commission.

Serrano was recently placed on a two-week administrative leave for alleged inappropriate conduct with the children, but Bertagna said he does not know if that is related to the recent case.

"I don't know what the inappropriate activity is," Bertagna said.

Serrano was booked on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts and is currently being held on a $100,000 bond.

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Photo: Anthony Serrano. Credit: Santa Ana Police Department