Liahona Preparatory coach accused of sexually abusing students

A Liahona Preparatory Academy soccer coach is accused of having sexual relationships with two 16-year-old students.

Pleasant Grove police arrested Broch DeGraff, 27, Wednesday night at his home after the teenage girls came forward two months ago about the alleged relationships, said Lt. Britt Smith. DeGraff was booked into Utah County Jail under suspicion of eight counts of forcible sexual abuse — two of them being first-degree felonies, the other six being second-degree felonies, Smith said.

"Our hearts go out to those victims. They were taken advantage of by a man [who was] selfish," Smith said. DeGraff's role at the private school places him in a position of trust with the victims.

Police suspect DeGraff had a sexual relationship with each girl during the past year, starting the second relationship sometime after the first one ended.

"He met them at school and then they developed a relationship via text messages, and they became late night text conversations, and those conversations led to late night meetings," Smith said. Those meetings were at DeGraff's house and in the school parking lot, though Smith could not immediately speak to where DeGraff is suspected of abusing the girls.

Smith expects charges to be filed in 4th District Court either Friday or next week. Police are not aware of any other victims.

The school could not be immediately reached for comment.

mmcfall@sltrib.com