Former CT AAU coach sentenced to four years in prison for having sex with teen athlete

Danny Lawhorn Jr., a former coach with the Bria Holmes Elite girls basketball program, has been sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting a player who was under 18.

Lawhorn faced sentencing on Thursday in Hartford Superior Court where a judge handed him a 10-year term, suspending it after service of four years, according to Judicial Branch records. He was also sentenced to serve 10 years of probation, records show.

The sentencing came after Lawhorn was acquitted of rape but convicted under a state law that prohibits coaches from having sex with athletes under their tutelage who are younger than 18. A jury on Sept. 19 found him guilty of second-degree sexual assault under the coach/athlete provision.

Former AAU coach acquitted on CT rape charge, convicted of having sex with teen athlete

Lawhorn was arrested on June 13, 2021, after a 17-year-old girl who was living in his Hartford residence accused him of sexual assault. When investigators went to speak with Lawhorn about the allegations they found him with crack cocaine, according to the Hartford Police Department .

Lawhorn was arrested later in the day on one count of second-degree sexual assault and a drug offense. Prior to the trial, prosecutors added a first-degree sexual assault charge under a forcible rape provision.

Lawhorn's attorney, Hartford-based lawyer Jon L. Schoenhorn, previously told the Courant his client during the trial did not dispute having sex with the teen, but he maintained that it was consensual and that he was not the girl's coach.

According to Schoenhorn, Lawhorn coached what essentially equated to the varsity level team in the Bria Holmes Elite girls basketball program. The teen played for what was described as the team at more of a junior varsity level but was occasionally brought in for a few minutes to play on Lawhorn's team if they were short a player, Schoenhorn previously said.

He also previously said the sexual assault provision that prohibits a coach from engaging in sexual activity with an athlete younger than 18 under their tutelage is too "vague" and doesn't clearly define the term "coach." Schoenhorn said Lawhorn's appeal would center on the argument that he cannot be considered the girl's coach, adding that he did not believe the conviction would be held under appellate review.

Lawhorn's trial in September came after he received a federal prison sentence of 12 months and a day upon pleading guilty to being found with narcotics on two separate occasions while authorities were investigating sexual assault allegations. These charges stemmed from him being found with crack cocaine in June 2021, as well as an arrest in October of that year when police found Lawhorn with several wax paper sleeves containing fentanyl.

Lawhorn still has two cases pending in which separate teens have accused him of sexual assault. According to Schoenhorn, Lawhorn has denied having sex with the girls.