A former travel sports team coach in Hoover has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to prison on sex charges involving two victims, including a minor.
Meagan Billingsley Deese, 32, of Shelby County, was initially arrested by Hoover police in 2022.
She entered a blind guilty plea in November 2023 to five crimes – attempted first-degree sodomy, two counts of first-degree sexual abuse, enticing a child to enter a vehicle or house for an immoral purpose and first-degree sodomy. A blind plea means there is no agreement as to her potential sentence.
Jefferson County Circuit Judge Kandice Pickett on Monday sentenced Deese to 10 years in prison with two years to serve on each of the five convictions. The sentences will be served concurrently, and Deese will have three years of probation following her release.
The case was prosecuted by Jefferson County Deputy District Attorneys Lauren Breland and Joe Hicks.
Police said an adult female contacted Hoover police in 2022 and told investigators she had been subjected to unwanted sexual contact by a coach on her travel team when she was a juvenile.
The abuse, Capt. Keith Czeskleba previously said, took place over a period of two to three years but stopped in 2016.
After the initial charges against Deese were announced, an additional victim contacted the Hoover Police Special Victims Unit stating Deese had sexually abused her over a period of a year – between 2018 and 2019.
During the investigation, detectives learned that Deese was a leader of the victim’s youth group at church when the abuse occurred. The case was presented to the Jefferson County District Attorney’s office which issued new warrants against Deese.
Both victims made victim impact statements in court Monday.
Hoover police said they are continuing to work the case to determine if there are more victims. Anyone with information is asked to call Sgt. Scott Prentiss at 205-739-6125
