A former custodian and assistant sports coach at Coral Springs Middle School who was convicted for molesting a teen boy was sentenced to 75 years in prison Monday.
The sentence was handed down to 29-year-old Robert Grant, who was found guilty last month on 10 of 11 charges he faced, including lewd and lascivious molestation and sexual battery.
Grant was arrested in 2017 after a 15-year-old boy claimed Grant sexually assaulted him. A second boy came forward with similar allegations.
In court Monday, one of the victims tried to hold back tears as he spoke, saying he once trusted Grant as a friend, mentor and someone he looked up to.
"I do forgive him for what he did, it was a mistake, but for life I have this permanent scar that can’t be erased," the victim said.
"I thought I should have never let you around my son, my family. I beat myself up every day for your actions," one victim's mother told Grant.
Prosecutors said Grant took advantage of the boys by grooming them and acting like their mentor to gain their trust. During his week-long trial, prosecutors played surveillance video that showed Grant and one of the teens at school during nighttime when the campus was closed.
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The defense argued Grant was innocent, also claiming that there was no hard DNA evidence to back up the allegation that Grant performed a sex act on a teen.
His lawyer also brought up Grant's three-hour statement to police, in which he denied the claims against him 17 times.
"It's not justice in terms of even believing all the allegations," defense attorney Jim Lewis said Monday.
