Former Fort Lauderdale tennis coach Daniel James Riggs has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after admitting he coerced two of his own students into sexual activity, capping an investigation that prosecutors say exposed years of online grooming tied directly to his coaching role.
Sentence and guilty plea
According to CBS12, a federal judge handed down the 20-year sentence on Thursday. Court records cited by CBS12 show Riggs worked for Team Riggs at a Fort Lauderdale tennis center where both minors trained under him. The outlet reports the sentencing followed a guilty plea in which Riggs admitted he coerced and enticed two children to engage in sexual activity.
How investigators say he groomed victims
Federal prosecutors say Riggs ran multiple social media accounts between 2021 and 2024, which he allegedly used to groom victims, steer conversations into sexually explicit territory and request sexual images and videos. A release from the Justice Department states that investigators uncovered records showing Riggs sometimes urged victims to delete messages, and that some of the abuse allegedly took place while traveling for tennis tournaments and training.
Prosecutors' statement
“This defendant abused that trust in the most disturbing way imaginable,” U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones said in a statement reported by CBS12. He added that the 20-year prison term reflects how seriously the justice system views what happened to Riggs’ young students and their families.
Arrest and case background
Authorities say U.S. Marshals arrested Riggs at the Lauderdale Tennis Club, and he made his first federal court appearance in Fort Lauderdale in December 2024, when prosecutors announced enticement and production-of-child-pornography charges. Local10 reported that a criminal complaint alleged Riggs’ relationship with one victim began in 2020 when the teen was 15, and that social media records pointed to a second possible victim.
Legal context and resources
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Justice Department initiative focused on preventing and prosecuting online child sexual exploitation. The Justice Department and local partners have urged anyone with information about additional victims to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
What’s next
With Riggs now sentenced, prosecutors say they are focusing on supporting any additional victims and running down every lead uncovered during the investigation. Authorities continue to encourage anyone with relevant information to reach out to investigators through the FBI tip line.
