Basketball coach jailed for sexually assaulting teen player

Calgary basketball coach Junny Gallaza was handed a 2½-year prison sentence Friday for sexually abusing a teen player under his tutelage.

Provincial court Judge Catherine Skene accepted a joint recommendation for that term by Crown prosecutor Todd Buziak and defence lawyer Adriano Iovinelli.

Iovinelli noted a court-ordered psychiatric assessment determined his client isn't a pedophile.

Gallaza, 61, pleaded guilty in November to sexually assaulting a teenage boy he had sponsored as a player, buying him clothing, shoes and a cellphone.

At that time, Buziak said the abuse came to light when the then-15year-old victim was interviewed at the Calgary and Area Child Advocacy Centre.

The boy disclosed Gallaza had touched him sexually and performed oral sex on him. The coach also had the boy touch him and, during video chats, would ask his victim to perform sexual acts for him over the phone, court was told.

The incidents occurred when the boy was 14 and 15 years old. Gallaza, who was involved as a coach in a church/sporting group called The Keepers' Club International, was arrested Aug. 7, 2019.

Iovinelli said his client was remorseful from the outset and never contemplated going to trial on the sexual-assault charge.

“The intent was always to resolve this matter,” the lawyer told Skene.

Iovinelli said the only delays in getting to sentencing were COVID-19 related and waiting for the psychiatric report to be completed.

“This was a prompt guilty plea,” he said.

The lawyer noted the court-ordered assessment found Gallaza is “a low risk to reoffend.”

“He is open to counselling … he's open to any form of counselling,” Iovinelli said.

He added the assessment found no sexual deviance.

“He does not fit the criteria for pedophilia.”

Along with the jail term, Skene ordered Gallaza to provide a sample for the police DNA database and be registered as a sex offender for 20 years.