Florida gymnastics coach accused of molesting girls behind gym mats and telling them they could treat him like a 'big brother' appears in court in a stab vest

A gymnastics coach in Key Biscayne, Florida, is sitting behind bars following a lengthy probe into allegations that he sexually abused two of his minor students.

Oscar Olea, 38, appeared in court Monday for his pre-trial hearing following his arrest last week. He wore a green stab vest and looked downtrodden.

He was charged with two counts of sexual battery and, according to the Miami Herald, has victimized at least five people.

The investigation by the local outlet was spurred by a tip given to a reporter from a parent who said Olea inappropriately touched their 7-year-old child.

The paper then tracked down two more alleged victims, now in their 20s and 30s, who say Olea had sex with them multiple times when they were teenagers.

Oscar Olea stands while being directed by a correction officer after his appearance in Judge Alberto Miliani's courtroom for his pre-trial detention hearing on Monday 

 The 38-year-old gymnastics coach accused of sexual abuse of minors wore a beat up green stab vest for his appearance following his arrest last week

The victim who is now in her 30s said that when she was 14 and Olea was 22, he was her coach and began to befriend her, selling himself as her 'big brother.'

A judge on Monday ordered evidence be released, including a string of shocking text messages between Olea and his then-underage students.

One message shows the minor girl telling Olea she might be pregnant. He then tells her he wants her to take a test and if she is pregnant, 'we are taking you to an abortion clinic.'

The victim began taking private lessons with Olea at a gym in Key Biscayne, but the depraved coach would allegedly drive her to another gym in Coral Gables, where he molested her.

Eventually, the relationship escalated into sexual intercourse.

Oscar Olea's hands are placed behind his back by a corrections officer

The victim, according to law enforcement, was abused multiple times at his apartment and the Key Biscayne gym, where Olea would place mats and cones against the wall to prevent anyone from seeing them. 

The second victim, who is now in her 20s, said she was abused by the gymnastics instructor when she was 14 and he was 26. 

Texts between her and her then-coach confirm that he described himself as a 'brother' to the student.

One of the victims reportedly told law enforcement officers that she was being bullied and her parents were going through a divorce at the time - Olea, she said, was the only one who 'made her feel loved and valued.'

Other messages showed Olea requesting and sending naked pictures, and that at one point, he sent a victim images of himself kissing another minor, according to a local NBC report.

Police have encouraged any other victims or witnesses to Olea's alleged behavior to come forward. 

A judge on Monday ordered evidence be released, including a string of shocking text messages between Olea and his then-underage students that included back-and-forths about abortion and his role as an 'older brother' to the students

Olea sits beside other alleged criminals in court on Monday, March 4 in a South Florida courtroom for his pre-trial hearing. He is being held without bail

Oscar Olea's mother, Elizabeth Cunningham, center, watches during his court appearance in Judge Alberto Miliani's courtroom for his pre-trial detention hearing, Monday, March 4, 2024

Olea's mother, Elizabeth Cunningham, appeared in court Monday while her son stood handcuffed before Judge Alberto Miliani.

Following his arrest last week, residents of Key Biscayne held a town hall meeting to inform the general public about the coach's behavior.

In a statement, Mayor Joe Rasco said: 'The Key Biscayne Police Department made an arrest today on serious allegations that have been weighing on our community for some time.'

'It took a lot of courage for the victims to come forward and speak with police. I want to thank our police department as well as the Miami-Dade Police Department for working tirelessly on this investigation. Thanks to the efforts of many, our residents can feel some relief.'

American Gymsters, the gym at which Olea alleged abused several of his victims, had not yet commented.

The alleged child molester is being held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.