(FORT WAYNE) — The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld a former youth football coach’s 15-year prison sentence for raping the sister of one of his players after luring her to his Fort Wayne home with the promise of a cheerleading coaching position.
An Allen County jury found Marvin Davis, 34, guilty of rape and sexual battery in August. After he was sentenced to 15 years, Davis appealed, arguing that his prison term was inappropriate “in light of the nature of the offenses and his character.”
But the state appellate court judges rejected those arguments Wednesday, finding that Davis had used his position to lure the 16-year-old girl to his house and sexually assault her. The court also cited Davis’ “extensive criminal history,” including eight convictions, The Journal Gazette reported.
Davis was a coach with Metro Youth Sports in Fort Wayne when he met the girl after he took her brother to a medical clinic for treatment for an injury. Prosecutors said Davis used the promise of an assistant cheerleading coaching position as a ruse to get the girl alone. They said he raped her in July 2018 after picking her up at her home and taking her to his residence.
