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A North Bethesda soccer coach was arrested last week for the third time in the past two months on sexual abuse charges involving young girls.

Juan Jose Aranguri, 46, had already stepped down as coach of a girls team with the Bethesda Soccer Club and has been suspended from other coaching duties with MSI, one of the county's largest soccer clubs, pending the outcome of the criminal charges.

The case has shocked members of the Montgomery County soccer community and prompted calls to county police, who report fielding even more inquiries from concerned parents since last week.

He was arrested again Oct. 8 and released on $50,000 bond for one count of sexual abuse of a minor, five counts of a third-degree sexual offense, and one count of an attempted third-degree sexual offense, according to a statement from Montgomery County Police.

In the latest charges, from January to March 2007, Aranguri inappropriately touched a 13-year-old girl while serving as her personal trainer at the Fitness First Club at 7900 Wisconsin Ave. in Bethesda, according to police. He also allegedly encouraged her to have inappropriate physical contact with him and presented himself to her in an aroused state while fully clothed, according to police.

Aranguri was first arrested Aug. 11 after an alleged incident on July 9 at the South America Soccer Academy in Potomac, which he directed. Aranguri was arrested a second time Aug. 26 on allegations that he inappropriately touched a 14-year-old girl in 2004.

Police are not expecting more charges at this time, according to Officer Melanie Brenner, a spokeswoman for county police.

"It's a horrible thing and you hate to think of something like this happening in your community," said Lance Van Winter, a Potomac resident who coaches for MSI. Van Winter also has twin daughters, 13, who play soccer.

He described the county soccer community as close and tight-knit. "It's like seven degrees of separation, but it's probably more like two," he said.

When contacted by The Gazette, several parents of children who play soccer in the Bethesda and Potomac area were concerned by the news of Aranguri's arrests, but were not aware of the case.

"There hasn't been much talk about it, which surprised me," Van Winter said. He said there should be more open discussion in the soccer community about the case, and said there should be more awareness raised on the part of soccer leagues about sexual abuse.

"If the league published a brochure for parents to go over with their kids, I think that would be worth a ton," Van Winter said. "…At least it's somewhat out in the open and discussed."

Experts say that children who are abused by someone in a position of power or authority, such as a soccer coach, often have feelings of guilt. "Because [the coach] has a lot of power over the kids, it may be hard to say no," said Nadja Cabello, director of the county's Victim Assistance and Sexual Assault Program. Young athletes who have been victims of abuse by coaches may also fear repercussions on the field if they speak up, Cabello said.

Cabello recommended that parents keep open lines of communication with their children who say they have been abused. "It's always good for the parent to believe the child and try to talk to them in a calm manner …instead of dismissing it right away and thinking the coach would never do something like this," Cabello said.

Cabello also said that parents should be on the lookout for unusual behavior, such as anger, nightmares or a drop in grades. While these may not always be indicators of abuse, parents should try to talk to their children and seek outside help if needed, Cabello said.

"There are many reasons why a child would start behaving differently, and as a parent, you need to be on the lookout," Cabello said.

Police also revealed that Aranguri has used the name Juan Jose Gonzalez in the past. Anyone with additional information about inappropriate contact by Aranguri with a juvenile should call Detective Frank Darley in the Family Crimes Division at 240-773-5400. Parents can also call the Victim Assistance and Sexual Assault Program with questions at 240-777-1355.