Ex-A.J. coach held in sex with minor

A former Apache Junction High School freshman girls basketball and softball coach and Gonzaga University basketball star is being held in the Pinal County Jail on $750,000 bond in connection with an inappropriate relationship with one of her 16-year-old players.

Raenna Jewell, 25, of Gilbert was arrested on suspicion of sexual conduct with a minor on March 29, three days after police received information from the girl’s mother about suspicious text messages between Jewell and the girl, according to Apache Junction police.

Raenna Jewell

Authorities later discovered that there had been some kind of inappropriate relationship, and that Jewell had sent the girl inappropriate images via text messaging on her cell phone, according to Capt. Tom Kelley of the Apache Junction Police Department.

Jewell’s cell phone has been confiscated as evidence, Kelley said.

Jewell has been indicted by a Pinal County grand jury on two counts each of sexual conduct with a minor and luring a minor for sexual exploitation from incidents that began in December, according to information from Apache Junction police.

At this time, it is believed there are no other victims, and this incident appears to be an isolated incident.

A trial date has not been set.

A school district spokeswoman confirmed Jewell was employed part time in the district from Sept. 19 through March 20, 2009, until the time of her resignation. The district followed hiring procedures with Jewell, conducting fingerprinting and a background check, according to Carol Shepherd, school spokeswoman.

Jewell also coached the junior varsity girls basketball team.

Prior to working for the school, the 5-foot-7 Jewell had played for the Gonzaga University women’s basketball team in Spokane, Wash., and finished her career in 2005 with more than 1,000 points for the Bulldogs, according to the university’s athletic Web site.

Apache Junction school and district officials sent a letter home Wednesday with students in the basketball and softball programs informing parents about the investigation, Shepherd said.

“When it was reported to us, it was immediately reported to police. This person was not employed with us at the time of the report,” Shepherd said.

Jewell’s arrest marks the second arrest of a former Apache Junction High School girls basketball coach in just more than two months.

Jason Beck, 24, who resigned from his part-time girls basketball coaching job on Jan. 13, was arrested on Feb. 3 on suspicion of one count each of sexual conduct with a minor and luring a minor for sexual exploitation, according to Pinal County Superior Court documents.

Beck, who was hired by the school as a coach in October, also was indicted on those offenses.

He is accused of engaging in sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old girl who played on his team and offering or soliciting oral sex to her through text messages, both alleged incidents in December, according to information from the Pinal County Attorney’s Office.