In August 2025, a federal judge in Honolulu sentenced a former youth basketball coach to more than 33 years in prison. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, he groomed and exploited at least ten young players over nearly two decades. The case shows how a coaching role can be used to gain access and trust, and why prevention rules focus on private contact.
What the Justice Department announced
On August 15, 2025, the Justice Department's Office of Public Affairs announced that Dwayne Yuen, 52, of Honolulu, had been sentenced to more than 33 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. The Justice Department said the convictions included enticement of a minor, sex trafficking of a minor, production and receipt of child pornography, and harassment.
According to the Justice Department, Yuen coached and mentored youth basketball players. It said that from about 2005 to 2023 he groomed at least ten victims, many of whom were vulnerable because of financial or family stress. He used gifts and time alone to build their trust.
How the department described the abuse of trust
The Justice Department said Yuen threatened his victims' reputations and basketball careers. It said he paid players for images and later harassed former players using anonymous phone numbers.
He used his power and position to groom and then serially exploit and victimize the young girls entrusted to his care.
The FBI's Honolulu field office investigated the case. The Justice Department said it was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, its national initiative against child sexual exploitation.
Why the warning signs matter
The pattern described in the Justice Department's announcement is one that prevention rules target. Gifts, private time, control over playing opportunities and private communication are common features of grooming. Rules for Olympic and Paralympic sports, for example, require one-on-one contact with minors to be observable and interruptible, and they require messages with minors to include a parent or another adult.
Many youth programs are not bound by those federal rules. Still, questions like these can be important in any program:
- Were coaches allowed to spend time alone with young players?
- Did anyone monitor private messages or gifts?
- Did the program act on concerns from players or parents?
- Were suspected abuse reports made to law enforcement as required?
Criminal cases and civil claims
This was a criminal case brought by federal prosecutors. A criminal sentence punishes the offender. It does not decide whether any team, school or program shares responsibility, and the Justice Department's announcement does not make any such finding.
Survivors may have separate civil options. Federal law, 18 U.S.C. 2255, gives people who were minors when they were victims of certain federal crimes, including some of those in this case, a right to sue the offender in federal court. Since 2022, that claim has no time limit for claims that were still timely when the change took effect. Whether an organization may also be responsible depends on the facts and on state law.
Our page on coaching sexual abuse explains how sports organizations may share responsibility for abuse. You can also read our overview of sexual assault and abuse claims.
If you were harmed by a coach, your options depend on your facts and on where the abuse happened. Deadlines vary by state. A lawyer can review the specifics with you, privately and without pressure.
This article is general information about how these cases work. It is not legal advice, it does not create an attorney-client relationship, and no two claims are alike. If something here sounds like your situation, the useful next step is a conversation about the facts.
