A former girls soccer coach from the Coachella Valley was a habitual predator, kissing, fondling and propositioning multiple players, the prosecution said Wednesday, while the defense argued the witnesses’ testimony was unreliable and possibly driven by a hostile co-worker who encouraged the victims to tell stories.

Juan Manuel Pantoja Troncoso, 29, of Salton City is charged with three counts each of forcible lewd acts on a child and contacting a minor for the purpose of perpetrating a sexual offense, five counts of annoying a child and one count of battery, with sentence-enhancing allegations of targeting multiple victims.

Testimony in Troncoso’s trial began in late September and concluded Tuesday at the Banning Justice Center. Closing arguments were held Wednesday, with Riverside Count

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