Southern District of New York | Former Rockland County diving coach sentenced to 220 months in prison for transporting two minors for illegal sexual activity in 2006 and 2008

Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that VICTOR BYRNE was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román to 220 months in prison for transporting two minors to engage in unlawful sexual activity in 2006 and 2008. Today’s sentencing followed BYRNE’s March 14, 2024, guilty plea.

US Attorney Damian Williams said: “Victor Byrne used his position as a diving coach to sexually exploit young athletes. Byrne’s conduct is the nightmare of any parent who entrusts their child to a coach. Today’s sentencing shows that the passage of years will not prevent us from holding child abusers accountable for their behaviour.”

According to the documents submitted in this case and statements made in related legal proceedings:

In or about July 2006, BYRNE transported a 16-year-old minor (“Victim-1”) from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to Rockland County, New York, and once in New York, engaged in illegal sexual acts with Victim-1.

In or about February 2008, BYRNE arranged for a 16-year-old minor (“Victim-2”) to be transported from New Jersey to Rockland County, New York, and thereafter engaged in illegal sexual activity with Victim-2.

From approximately 2001 through 2009, BYRNE was a diving coach for competitive youth divers. He coached several youth diving teams in and around Rockland County, New York. BYRNE began abusing Victim-1 when she was 14 years old. For Victim-2, the abuse began when she was 16. In order to gain the trust of his victims and their families and others he coached, BYRNE falsely represented himself as a police officer.

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In addition to the prison sentence, BYRNE, 58, was sentenced to lifelong parole.

Mr. Williams commended the efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshal Service, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the New York City Police Department Special Victims Unit assigned to the HSI Human Trafficking Task Force in connection with this investigation. He added that the investigation is ongoing.

The prosecution is being handled by the White Plains Division of the office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia S. Cohen is in charge of the prosecution.