Football Coach Arrested in Prostitution Sting

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - A local high school football coach is facing some serious charges. Daytona Beach police arrested John Maronto during a prostitution sting.

He coaches at Mainland High School, and many credit him for the school's winning tradition. But will the charges against him keep him off the field? We last caught up with Coach John Maronto in the preseason of '09 as he described his expectations for the season.

But one year later-something no one expected, Coach Maronto arrested and put be behind bars. The 68-year old Mainland High School football coach, who's headed the program for 14 years and led the school to win a state championship in 2003, was arrested in a prostitution sting set up by Daytona Beach Police.

Coach Maronto was missing from Monday morning's practice. No one at the school would talk, but people who live here are disappointed about the news.

"Something like this is different when its affecting young people, especially when they're impressionable. Kids now days have enough problems they don't need to be led by a person who's been arrested for that," said Mike Dobbins.

Mike Dobbins was a member of the Marietta Georgia School Board years ago. He says he's shocked that the married father of five, who's responsible for molding players into young men, would ever solicit a prostitute.

Dobbins said, "If our football coach at the time, at the time that I was on the school board, did something like this I would be calling for him to be taken away as the head coach, but to also be released as a teacher."

On Tuesday, Volusia County school officials will decide Morantos future in coaching. Over the years he's sent dozens of players to division one colleges and several others to the NFL.

Maronto was charged with Solicitation to Commit Prostitution, but he is out on bail and may soon be out of a job. The school district tells us it isn't going to make any decisions until they talk to the coach.

The decision will only be regarding his position as football coach, not his employment.

The 68 year old is one of the most famous and successful high school football coaches in Florida. He’s lead the Mainland’s Buccaneers since 1996.

He’s helped take the football team to the playoffs 14 years in a row and to the state championships in 2003.  His career record ranks him fifth in Florida among active coaches.
 

Maronto is also a P.E. teacher at Mainland.  Five others were also charged with solicitation or drug charges in that sting.

Tiffany Tift assisted with the writing of this story.