Ex-Pine-Richland basketball coach pleads guilty to sex assault
A former Pine-Richland High School basketball coach pleaded guilty Wednesday to having sex with a student player, entering the plea so he could spare the victim and her family from testifying at his trial, his attorney said.
He will spend up to 23 months in jail and seven years on probation and will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Cliff Foster, 33, was charged in October with institutional sexual assault and corruption of minors for staying alone with the teenager in hotel rooms during trips to Florida, Chicago, Washington and Dayton. He had sexual contact with her on at least some of those trips, according to a criminal complaint.
Foster pleaded guilty to both counts before Common Pleas Judge Jill Rangos. He entered a plea primarily because he did not want to put the victim and her family through a trial, said Foster's attorney, Robert Andrews.
“Throughout this process we've been honest and forthright, and we've tried to minimize the exposure of the victim and her family,” Andrews said.
“I'm very sorry to the victim and her entire family for all of this,” Foster told the judge.
Foster appeared in the red uniform of the Allegheny County Jail clean-shaven, with his short hair done up in messy spikes. He looked to his mother and sister in the gallery, but aside from his apology, he limited his remarks to short answers to the judge's standard questions about whether he understood his rights.
His sister and mother were in court to support him, Andrews said.
According to the criminal complaint, all trips during which Foster had inappropriate contact with the victim were associated with the Amateur Athletic Union girls basketball team Foster coached, not the Pine-Richland team.
Pine-Richland spokeswoman Rachel Hathhorn said the AAU team was not affiliated with the school district.
She said the district became aware of the allegations against Foster on the same day as police, when the Office of Children, Youth and Families notified Northern Regional Police on Oct. 15.
Foster was charged the next day; the district suspended him and sent a letter notifying students' families that day as well.
Foster had been a coach at Pine-Richland for three seasons starting in 2012, but was not rehired when the district approved its list of coaches for winter 2015. He had no other duties with the district, Hathhorn said.
As part of the plea deal, Rangos sentenced Foster to 11 1⁄2 to 23 months in jail with credit for time served since Jan. 19, when his bail was revoked for sending the victim a letter professing his love and giving her a silver necklace, as well as making several phone calls through Foster's sister.
He will serve seven years of probation following his release, with a condition that he not have access to the Internet via computer or cellphone. He must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and can have no contact with the victim for 10 years.
Matthew Santoni is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412 391 0927 or msantoni@tribweb.com.
