Ex-USC coach indicted on sexual exploitation, child-porn charges

A former University of South Carolina assistant men’s soccer coach has been indicted on federal charges of sexual exploitation of children and receiving and possessing child pornography.

Roberto “Bert” Molinary Jr., 49, of Columbia faces a three-count indictment on charges that carry a maximum sentence of 70 years in prison.

Molinary has pleaded not guilty, according to court records and his lawyer, Peter Shahid of Charleston.

“He looks forward to the trial,” Shahid said.

Molinary worked as an assistant on the USC men’s soccer coaching staff from April 2005 until Aug. 1, 2012, when he resigned, USC spokesman Wes Hickman said.

The indictment alleges that, from roughly August 2012 through January 2013, Molinary induced at least one minor to engage in “sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing ... visual depiction of such conduct.”

During that period, Molinary also received computer images of child pornography via the Internet, the indictment alleges. The indictment says that in January 2013 Molinary possessed digital images of pornography of children under 12 years old on equipment at a home in Columbia.

The case was investigated by USC police, the State Law Enforcement Division and the FBI, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Columbia. Hickman said USC would not comment further.

Molinary, who was also a recruiting coordinator at USC, is free on $50,000 bond, court documents show. Shahid said Molinary, a 1984 graduate of Spring Valley High School, is living in Columbia.

Before joining USC, Molinary was head soccer coach at Hampden-Sydney College, a private, liberal arts college for men in Virginia, according to his biography on USC’s website.

Molinary’s bio also said he was head coach for the 1992, 1994 and 1996 South Carolina boys’ Olympic development team.

This story was originally published November 30, 2015 at 6:14 PM with the headline "Ex-USC coach indicted on sexual exploitation, child-porn charges."