SoCalHoops News

Compton Dominguez Coach Russell Otis
Arrested; Bail Increased--(Nov. 2, 2000)

Compton Dominguez head coach Russell Otis, who led the Dons to four out of the last five State Division II championships, was arrested this morning by Los Angeles County Sheriff's detectives, and booked at the Department's Carson sub-station where he is currently being held on suspicion of having violated California Penal Code, Section 286, subsection (b)(1) ¹, specifically, sodomy with a person under the age of 18 years [the full text of the pertinent portions of the Penal Code Section are set out below].

SoCalHoops spoke with Sheriff's Department watch seargant Nicky Burns, who confirmed for us that Otis was, as of 8:00 p.m. this evening, still being held in custody.  He confirmed that Otis was arrested by detectives working out of the Family Crime Bureau.  He had no other details.  He also confirmed that Otis had not yet been formally arraigned, and speculated that arraignment might come within the next 2 days or possibly sooner depending upon when the matter is assigned to the District Attorney's office.  Burns stated that he was not aware of whether Otis had made any formal statement to the arresting officers.

Attempts to reach detectives at the Family Crime Bureau were unsuccessful, inasmuch as the offices close after 5:00 p.m. and access to information thereafter is only made available to the Department of Children's services and other members of law enforcement.

SoCalHoops then spoke with Deputy Roberta Granek of the Sheriff's Department Headquarters office who confirmed the charge.  She stated that "Bail has been increased from $50,000 to $100,000" but stated that she had no information about why bail had been increased.  She also confirmed that no arraignment had yet taken place and thus Otis had not yet been formally charged.

Deputy Granek stated that the "Department can make no further comment at this time due to the on-going nature of the investigation." 

Otis has been a coach for the Compton Dominguez Dons, one of three high schools in the Compton Unified School District since 1986   when he returned to his alma mater to teach there after playing under former Dons' coach Ernie Carr.  He attened Southern Utah University, where he played.  He became head coach at Dominguez, a school with an enrollment of 2,065 students,  in 1987.  In his second year as varsity coach, the Dons won the first Southern Section title under his administration,  and in the last 10 years they've won four California Interscholastic Federation State Championships, and last season were ranked by a number of news sources as the No. 1 team in the country, capturing the mythical USA Today "National Championship". Otis' degrees from Southern Utah were in P.E. and Criminal Justice.  In 1996 the Dons won their first State Title with a team that included Tayshaun Prince (Kentucky), Walter Small (no longer playing at San Diego State), and Kenny Brunner, defeating Shasta of Redding 85-52 at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim.

¹ The provisions of California Penal Code Section 286 (a) and (b)(1)  provide:

§286.  Sodomy; punishment

(a) Sodomy is sexual conduct consisting of contact between the penis of one person and the anus of another person.  Any sexual penetration, however slight, is sufficient to complete the crime of sodomy.

(b) (1)  Except as provided in Section 288, any person who participates in an act of sodomy with another person who is under 18 years of age shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison, or in a county jail for not more than one year.

 
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