Mainland H.S. Football Coach Arrested In Prostitution Sting

A man who is arguably one of the best high school football coaches in Florida was arrested during a prostitution sting Saturday night, according to police.

Daytona Beach Police arrested 68-year-old John Maronto and charged him with solicitation to commit prostitution.

DOCUMENT: Police Reports: Daytona Prostitution Sting

“If you want to go out and solicit a prostitute--I'm not the moral police--go to Vegas. Don't do it in my city when you're a leader in the community,” said Chief Mike Chitwood of the Daytona Beach Police Department.

Maronto is the head coach of the Mainland High School Buccaneers football team in Daytona Beach. The Bucs have one of the state’s most successful football programs. Maronto led the team to a state title in 2003. Since 1994, the Bucs have made it to the playoffs every season.

According to a high school football website, Maronto started his career at California State Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo. He later went on to accept the # 1 high school head football coach job in America with the Massillon Tigers in Ohio. He is the second active all-time winningest football coach in Florida public schools, the website said.

"We aren't going to make any decisions until we talk to the coach," said Volusia School District spokeswoman Nancy Wait. "Just because an employee is arrested doesn't mean he'll be suspended. He's entitled to due process."

Administrators plan to talk to Maronto about the charge on Tuesday, Wait said.

“We work hard on one hand to eradicate [prostitution] and on the other hand I have people I think I should count on who are feeding that and that's disturbing,” said Chitwood.

Maronto was one of six men arrested during the prostitution operation. According to officials, the operation was in response to complaints from local business owners and citizens that live in the area, and an ongoing effort to curb street level prostitution. The take downs happened near International Speedway Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue.

“Coach is from the human race. We're all from the human race. We're all flawed. We all make mistakes,” said Chitwood.

A team meeting is scheduled for 8:15 a.m. to discuss the arrest of Maronto.

A message left at Maronto’s home was not immediately returned.