Former youth coach pleads guilty to child sex assault

BENSALEM, Pa. (WPVI) -- A former Bensalem football coach pleaded guilty in court Tuesday to sexually abusing three children.

Shannon "Shawn" Westmoreland, 49, of West Chester, was accused of rape and statutory sexual assault of the minors.

Westmoreland was accused of sexually abusing his victims on a number of occasions between 2005 and 2011. His victims ranged in age from 6 to 18 when the assaults occurred.

Investigators say Westmoreland was a youth football coach with the Bensalem Ramblers Athletic Association when he sexually assaulted one of his victims, who was 15 years old at the time. That victim was not associated with the football program.

His trial was originally scheduled for last October, but he fled the area.

He was captured a week later in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Westmoreland was sentenced to 14 to 28 years behind bars followed by 15 years probation.