PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A former volunteer with Philadelphia’s Police Athletic League who’s accused of sexually assaulting a teenager pleaded guilty Tuesday morning.
Marquis Graham, 28, admitted to forcing a 15-year-old girl into a sex act in March of 2022 in a parking lot, after seeing her walking to work.
Graham volunteered as a basketball coach at a PAL center and was 26 years old at the time of the assault.
At the time, PAL did not do background checks for volunteers, but police officials confirm that every volunteer must now be fingerprinted and be subject to a full background check.
Graham was charged with rape and about a half-dozen other offenses and was set to go to trial — with the jury already selected. However, moments before opening statements, Graham chose to plead guilty to lesser charges of statutory sexual assault and unlawful contact with a minor.
He will be sentenced in March.