OCALA, Fla. — Ocala Police arrested a baseball coach accused of taking advantage of his position to touch his students.
John James Sales, who is 29, was taken into custody on Wednesday in Ocala.
Police say they started the investigation back in March after the mother of a 13-year-old student reported that the coach had touched him during a car ride. Sales also allegedly made sexual comments to the teen.
Documents state that Sales met the boy through a youth group at the Church of Hope, off Maricamp Road, in Ocala.
According to the Ocala police department, Sales used his position as a volunteer at churches to get close to young boys, with cases going as far back as 2016.
After they learned about this case, OPD started to conduct interviews and talk with more people, and that’s how they found at least two more victims. One of them is now 21 years old, but the case allegedly happened when he was around 12, at Oak Griner Church, when Sales coached with the youth baseball team.
According to the incident report, Sales put his hands inside the boy’s pants. The document states that Sales would sneak into bathrooms while teens were showering, which he allegedly did as a prank.
A total of three victims have been identified so far, but police believe there could be even more. “Be involved in your kid’s lives; to know the signs,” said Captain Michael Sommer with the Ocala Police Department.
Channel 9 spoke with the lead pastor at the Oak Griner Baptist Church on Thursday. The pastor said he was disheartened by this incident, both because of the children impacted and because of the bad image this brings to the church. He also said the suspect had no affiliation with the church, and the baseball program has been shut down for years now.
Church of Hope sent Channel 9 the following statement:
We are heartbroken by this deeply tragic situation. Our prayers are with the victims and their families during this incredibly difficult time.
At Church of Hope, the safety and protection of our children is our highest responsibility; that’s why we have long implemented rigorous protocols to thoroughly vet every employee and volunteer. Since learning of this investigation in April 2025, we have fully cooperated with the Ocala Police Department and will continue to do so without hesitation.
Please know that these allegations involving a former volunteer do not relate to any activities that took place at the Church of Hope or during any church-sponsored events.
Make no mistake, we remain steadfast in our commitment to transparency and continue to fully support the Ocala Police Department and State Attorney in their ongoing investigation.
— Emily Cummins, Church of Hope, Chief of Staff
Sales has been charged with lewd and lascivious touch, lewd and lascivious molestation; he’s being held at the Marion County jail with no bond.
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