Jury finds ex-SPSL volleyball coach guilty of sex crime in Kent

A jury found a former Mount Rainier High School volleyball coach guilty of third-degree attempted rape of a child and communication with a minor for immoral purposes in connection with a girl the man met at Lake Meridian Park in Kent.

A jury found a former Mount Rainier High School volleyball coach guilty of third-degree attempted rape of a child and communication with a minor for immoral purposes in connection with a girl the man met at Lake Meridian Park in Kent.

The King County Superior Court jury reached its verdict Wednesday against Daniel Gregory Lum-Lung, 35, of Renton, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. No sentencing date has been set. He pleaded not guilty to the charge in November 2011.

Lum-Lung is the second former South Puget Sound League coach facing a jail sentence because of a sex crime. Ernie Ammons, a former Kent-Meridian High School teacher and track coach, pleaded guilty earlier this month to communication with a minor for immoral purposes. He is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 22.

Kent Police arrested Lum-Lung on Nov. 15, 2011 for investigation of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes, according to charging papers. He posted bail and was released two days later from the county jail. Bail was set at $50,000.

Until his arrest, Lum-Lung taught physical education at Cascade Middle School and coached girls volleyball at Mount Rainier, both in the Highline School District.

Lum-Lung met the 15-year-old girl on a telephone chat line. They agreed to meet at about Oct. 22, 2011 at Lake Meridian Park, according to charging papers.

While at the park, Lum-Lung allegedly made several verbal requests of the girl to do certain sexual acts. The girl told him no.

The girl also told police that Lum-Lung asked her to meet him inside the park restroom. She left the park after he entered the restroom. A couple of days later, the girl received an email reportedly from Lum-Lung that referred to “with you in the rain at Lake Meridian.” The email sender also asked if she wanted to see him again. They never met again.

The girl and her mother reported the incident to the girl’s Kent school and police were contacted.

Detectives obtained a search warrant and served it on Yahoo to access the Internet account connected with the emails sent to the girl. Detectives served the warrant on Oct. 27, 2011 and received Yahoo’s response two weeks later. The account showed a name of Black Stevebn. A search of the contact list showed a list of Mount Rainier volleyball players that eventually led detectives to Lum-Lung.

Detectives obtained a state Department of Licensing photograph of Lum-Lung and created a six-photograph lineup including his photo to show to the girl. She positively identified the photo of Lum-Lung as the man who met her at the park.

During an interview with detectives, Lum-Lung admitted he contacted the girl through a telephone chat line and that he met her at Lake Meridian Park. He said their conversation had sexual connotations but he said the girl brought up the subject talking about having a 40-year-old boyfriend. Lum-Lung confessed he did ask twice for a sexual act, but did not remember what words he used.

Lum-Lung said he had engaged in answering personal ads on Craigslist, which he kept secret from his wife, and received pornographic photos of adult women via the Internet and his Yahoo account. He denied having any other communications or contact with any minors other than the girl.

Lum-Lung had no prior criminal history.


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