Key Biscayne coach accused of sexual assault appears in court as interrogation video is released

By MICHAEL HUDAK, JACK ROYER, KEVIN BOULANDIER

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    MIAMI, Florida (WSVN) — New details were revealed in court concerning a South Florida gymnastics coach accused of sexual assault involving girls, as police say there may be a trail of victims.

Oscar Olea is accused of inappropriately touching and in some cases having sexual relationship with minors he coached on Key Biscayne and in Coral Gables for over a decade.

Oscar Olea appeared in court Wednesday in his orange jumpsuit, as testimony from one of the victims was heard.

The testimony comes from a woman in her 20s who claimed she was 16 years old when she was sexually assaulted by the 38-year-old suspect.

The alleged victim said the coach took her virginity.

“It all happened so fast, like, I had zero control,” she said.

Police also released Olea’s interrogation video from September of 2023, when he spoke to Key Biscayne Police and described how he would touch female gymnasts, he said, in a playful way.

“Do you ever teach classes alone? Or your employees are always there with you?” the detective is seen asking in the video.

“Before I did, due to the fact that it was very hard to find employees, but now, I have employees working with me,” said Olea.

Olea admitted to teaching alone in the past but denied the allegations he had inappropriately touched a student.

“Don’t get me wrong, incidents do happen in gymnastics. But the fact, to look at a child, and say, in English, with the translation, ‘Oh, you have a big [expletive], I want to eat it.’ I’m not going to say it,” said Olea. “Pretty much, if I was in a relationship, I’m not gonna – not being funny or anything, but that’s like saying, like, that’s just, no.”

In another part of the video, investigators asked Olea about the way he would touch athletes he was coaching.

“When you say you tickle them in a playful manner, and you say the parents question you about it, can you demonstrate what you mean by that?” one of the detectives asked.

“Sure. Can I stand up?” said Olea.

Olea went on to describe to investigators how he would be “hands on” with gymnasts during sometimes private lessons, while other times with parents in the room.

“I’ll go around like, ‘Oh, my God, smile, smile, oh, my God.’ I’ll just lift them up and the mom, half the time, are there, the ones that see me doing that. And that’s it,” he said. “Or, like, I’ll go from here, like, ‘Tickle, tickle, tickle,’ like this. That’s it.”

But officers questioned Olea as to whether his techniques were standard practice.

“The tickling and the other stuff, is that part of standard training of gymnastics coaches?” asked a detective.

“No,” said Olea.

“Is that something that you think you do because you’re animated, as your describe?” asked the detective

“I do it because I’m animated, and at the same time, I do it because it’s built a good reputation, not reputation, rapport, or good vibe with the parents and kids in the sense, like, Coach Oscar is serious, but funny,” said Olea.

Olea’s charges come weeks after The Miami Herald published an investigation into him, including accusations from three alleged victims.

Key Biscayne Police also confirmed that an investigation into this case was opened in September 2023 regarding allegations that Olea inappropriately touched two students, ages 4 and 7, last year.

The case was turned over to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, but they never prosecuted him.

The State Attorney’s Office said the decision was made because of conflicting statements, and they decided to close the case in January.

Olea’s hearing will resume at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday. The hearings are to determine whether or not Olea will remain behind bars until his trial.

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