College track coach trafficked women for prostitution, CA officials say. He’s arrested
A college track coach and instructor was arrested after being accused of trafficking two women for prostitution, according to California prosecutors.
Kyle Lee Whitmore, 39, of Crockett, is facing a number of felony charges, including human trafficking, pandering and pimping, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office said in a Sept. 12 news release.
Whitmore works as a communication studies instructor and track coach at Diablo Valley College, prosecutors said. His profile page appeared to be removed from the college’s athletic website as of the afternoon of Sept. 12.
In an email to McClatchy News, a spokesperson for the Contra Costa Community College District said it placed Whitmore on administrative leave upon learning of his arrest.
The spokesperson said some of the charges filed against Whitmore involved a student.
“The district is devastated by the seriousness of the allegations that have been raised thus far,” the spokesperson said. “We take seriously any accusations of inappropriate behavior by our employees and honor the expectation that our students, staff, and visitors have to be safe when they visit our campuses.”
Last July, Whitmore was named California Community College Cross Country and Track Coaches Association (5CTCA) Men’s Track and Field Coach of the Year, according to a college news release.
Whitmore’s arrest came after one of the women “reported her situation” to campus police, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Whitmore was arrested on Sept. 7 after an investigation by campus police and the county’s sheriff’s office.
Whitmore, who is being held without bail, is expected to appear in court during his arraignment on Sept. 19, a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office said in an email to McClatchy News.
Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to contact deputies at 925-313-2600.
Diablo Valley College is in Pleasant Hill, about 30 miles northeast of San Francisco.
This story was originally published September 12, 2023 at 5:10 PM with the headline "College track coach trafficked women for prostitution, CA officials say. He’s arrested."
