Former Teacher, Girls’ Soccer Coach to Appear for Preliminary Hearing on Child Pornography Charges

A preliminary hearing date is scheduled to be set Wednesday, April 9, for a Pasadena man who worked as a teacher and girls’ soccer coach for nearly two decades before being charged with possessing child pornography.

Justin Yasutake, 39, will appear in Department 36 of the Criminal Courts Building at 210 W. Temple St. in downtown Los Angeles at 8:30 a.m., according to court records.

Yasutake was arrested on December 11, 2024, after detectives allegedly found more than 600 images and numerous videos of child sexual abuse material on his electronic devices, including more than 10 images of minors under age 12.

The investigation began on November 11, 2024, when someone reported receiving suspicious social media messages inquiring about juvenile girls that included lewd videos, according to the Arcadia Police Department.

Detectives linked Yasutake to these messages, which allegedly included inquiries about juvenile girls, requests for videos of them engaging in masturbation, and videos of an individual performing lewd acts while viewing images of underage females.

Authorities obtained a search warrant for his electronic devices, which led to his arrest at his Pasadena home. He was initially held on $40,000 bond but later released after posting bail.

Yasutake pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on December 23 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.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Cyber Crimes Division is prosecuting the case.

Authorities believe Yasutake may have exploited underage girls during his tenure as a coach and teacher due to his extensive access to minors over nearly 20 years, primarily in Los Angeles County, including Arcadia.

The Arcadia Police Department urges anyone with information about potential victims or inappropriate behavior by Yasutake to contact them at (626) 574-5188. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Los Angeles Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).