Man, 40, pleads guilty in sexual relationship with girl, 15

By Cara McCoy

Thursday, March 18, 2010 | 11:43 a.m.

A 40-year-old man accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl who was a player on a soccer team he coached pleaded guilty in district court today to two felony charges.

Gabriel G. Lopez, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to two counts of statutory sexual seduction in connection with what police said was an ongoing relationship with the girl.

Lopez and the girl were spotted by a Henderson police officer in a parked vehicle near the Arroyo Grande Sports Complex at about 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, 2009.

Authorities said they told police they were just talking. Upon questioning, the girl told police the two had been in a sexual relationship for several months.

When asked her age, the girl at first said she was 17, but later admitted she was 15, police said. The age of consent in Nevada is 16.

Lopez was initially facing 11 counts of statutory sexual seduction. After negotiations with prosecutors, he waived a preliminary hearing in Henderson Justice Court so he could plead guilty in district court to the two counts.

He is scheduled to be sentenced July 20 in front of District Court Judge Michelle Leavitt. The maximum penalty on each count is five years, with a minimum of one year, or the judge could elect to sentence him to probation.

Lopez has remained out of custody after posting $22,000 bail.

Lopez and his attorney, Bill Terry, declined to comment on the case after Thursday’s hearing; however, Lopez did offer an apology.

“I’m sorry for everything that’s happened,” he said.