Miami Gardens youth track coach Darius Lawshea sentenced after jury conviction for sexually abusing teen athlete

Sentencing closes one case, while additional allegations remain pending

A Miami-Dade judge has sentenced Miami Gardens youth track coach Darius Tremayne Lawshea following a jury conviction for sexually abusing a teen athlete he coached. Lawshea, 50, founded and led the Miami Gardens Xpress Track and Field program and was widely known in the community as “Coach D.”

The verdict was returned on February 6, 2026, after jurors found Lawshea guilty of sexual activity with a child and two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation. The trial centered on one victim, but the jury also heard testimony from multiple young women who described abuse while they were involved in the track program.

Case timeline: allegations spanning years, report delays, and a 2020 arrest

Lawshea has been held at the Metro West Detention Center since his arrest in October 2020. Investigators alleged that the abuse described at trial occurred years earlier, including incidents dating to 2010, when the teen at the center of the case was underage.

Investigative records described earlier concerns raised to police about communications between Lawshea and a teen athlete, and a prior inquiry that was closed without charges due to insufficient evidence. In later investigations, victims described fear of reporting at the time, citing his standing in the community and his authority within youth athletics.

• October 2020: Lawshea arrested on child sex-abuse-related charges and held without bond.
• February 6, 2026: jury returns guilty verdict on three counts in one case.
• March 2026: sentencing imposed in the case that went to trial.

What the jury heard: authority and access in a youth sports setting

Prosecutors argued that Lawshea used his position of authority and access to young athletes to exploit victims connected to his program. The defense challenged credibility and pointed to a lack of physical evidence, focusing on inconsistencies in accounts over time. The jury convicted on the charges presented.

The conviction and sentencing address only the counts tried before the jury; other allegations are being handled separately in additional pending cases.

Ongoing court exposure: more cases, broader implications

Court records indicate Lawshea faces additional cases that have not yet gone to trial, involving other alleged victims connected to the same youth track environment. Those proceedings remain unresolved.

The case has renewed attention on safeguarding practices in youth sports, where coaches often hold significant influence and frequent unsupervised access to athletes during travel, transportation, and off-site training. Any policy changes, disciplinary actions, or oversight reviews connected to this case would fall to relevant athletic organizations and local institutions as the remaining cases continue through court.