Former Salinas coach pleads no contest to rape, sexual assault charges

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) A former Salinas coach is facing more than 28 years in prison after pleading no contest to several charges.

John Fickas, a former coach at North Salinas High School, pleaded no contest to three counts of rape by means of intoxication and three counts of sexual assault by force.

Fickas was first arrested on rape charges in July 2019 when he was appearing in court for an unrelated case. A month later, he was taken into custody after a court appearance. The Deputy District Attorney said he needed to be put behind bars for the interest of the public.

"It appears for at least a decade, that we know of, he has been interjecting himself into the school community at North High through either community service hours and athletics, giving alcohol to minors, and selecting the most vulnerable of those that he meets to have some type of sexual contact with, ” said Deputy District Attorney Elaine McCleaf at the time.

Detectives gave accounts of interviews with potential victims, four females and one male. Their ages range from 14 to 42 years old. They said one of the victims was a teenage student who drank with Fickas at his house and said Fickas made him have sex with a prostitute. Another victim was a married woman who said Fickas drugged and sexually assaulted her.

Fickas coached girls' field hockey and track and field at the high school, but he also worked as a political consultant for several local campaigns.

He is facing a 28 year and 8 month stipulated sentence.