Eastport gymnastics coach charged with sexual abuse of student

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A 36-year-old gymnastics coach from Eastport was arrested by Suffolk County Police after one of his former students reported that he had inappropriately touched her more than two years ago.

Edward Tellez, 36, of Jessie Road in Eastport, was arrested early Tuesday morning at Suffolk County Police Headquarters in Yaphank and charged with third-degree sexual abuse, a misdemeanor. Mr. Tellez is the part-owner of Riverside Gymnastics, located on Cross River Drive in Riverhead.

Police did not know if Mr. Tellez is still working at the gym—or for how long he has worked there—and calls to the facility were not returned by publication. Mr. Tellez could not be reached on Wednesday morning.

The girl, who is now 17 years old and whose identity is being protected by police, told her parents in late summer that Mr. Tellez had inappropriately touched her while they were in a movie theater in Holtsville in February 2006. Mr. Tellez was 33 at the time of the incident. Police could not confirm whether Mr. Tellez and the girl were at Island 16 Cinema on Morris Avenue.

According to Suffolk County Police Lieutenant Stan Grodski, the girl’s parents called the police after talking to their daughter about the incident. Police began their investigation of Mr. Tellez, who is married, in early September. They did not specify whether he has any children of his own.

The girl had been Mr. Tellez’s student since she was about 10 years old, Lt. Grodski said, although he did not know how often the girl practiced gymnastics at Riverside Gymnastics.

Mr. Tellez is not a registered sex offender, and does not have a prior criminal record, Lt. Grodski said. He will likely face less than a year in jail, he added. Depending on the courts, Mr. Tellez may have to register as a sex offender.

“It’s not unusual for them to not say anything right away,” Lt. Grodski said about the girl’s decision to not tell her parents about the incident for more than two years.

New York State law permits anyone abused as a minor to prosecute the case until they are 20 years old, Lt. Grodski explained.

Mr. Tellez was arraigned on Tuesday at First District Court in Central Islip. He pleaded not guilty and was released on $2,500 cash bail.

Lt. Grodski said if anyone else was abused at Riverside Gymnastics, which is located off of County Road 105, they should contact the police.