Former Pasadena Teacher, Youth Soccer Coach Faces Child Pornography Hearing

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge is scheduled to set a preliminary hearing date for Justin Akio Yasutake, 39, a Pasadena resident charged with one felony count of possession of child pornography after prosecutors alleged detectives found more than 600 images of child sexual abuse material on his electronic devices.

Yasutake, who has pleaded not guilty, worked for approximately 20 years as a teacher and youth girls’ soccer coach, including for F.C. Golden State, a Pasadena-based nonprofit club that serves nearly 100 teams of boys and girls ages 5 to 19 across the region, according to the club’s website. If convicted as charged, he faces up to six years in state prison and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

The hearing is set for 8:30 a.m. in Department 36 of the Criminal Courts Building at 210 W. Temple St. in downtown Los Angeles, according to court records. The preliminary hearing will determine whether sufficient evidence exists for the case to proceed to trial.

The charge stems from an Arcadia Police Department investigation that began on November 11, 2024, after someone reported receiving suspicious social media messages, according to the department. Detectives linked Yasutake to the messages and obtained a search warrant for his electronic devices, which was executed on or about November 12, 2024, according to the DA’s office.

The search allegedly revealed more than 600 images and numerous videos of child sexual abuse material, including more than 10 images of minors under age 12, according to prosecutors. Yasutake was arrested December 11, 2024, at his Pasadena home. He posted $40,000 bond and was released the same day.

Yasutake pleaded not guilty at his December 23, 2024, arraignment at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center. As part of his bail conditions, he is prohibited from having unsupervised contact with minors and from possessing any form of pornography, according to court records.

“Child pornography will not be tolerated in LA County, and individuals who exploit children will be vigorously prosecuted, especially when they are educators who hold positions of trust in the community,” District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement announcing the charge.

The case is being prosecuted by the DA’s Cyber Crimes Division.

Authorities believe there may be additional victims given Yasutake’s extensive access to minors over nearly two decades, according to the DA’s office. Anyone with information is asked to contact Arcadia police detectives at (626) 574-5188, referencing case number 2404863. Anonymous tips can be submitted by phone at (800) 222-8477, online at lacrimestoppers.org, or through the “P3 Tips” mobile app.

“We believe there are additional victims and I urge anyone with information on this case to contact law enforcement as soon as possible,” Hochman said in the statement.