A longtime Santa Rosa High School running coach is again facing a judge, as 78-year-old Douglas Courtemarche returned to Sonoma County Superior Court on Tuesday to answer a charge that he possessed child sexual abuse material. Courtemarche pleaded not guilty to a felony count, while court filings allege he had more than 1,000 illicit files, including some that prosecutors say depict children younger than 12. The case has rattled the school community and pushed district officials to strip his name from the track on campus.
Court hearing and the complaint
At a hearing before Judge Laura Passaglia, Courtemarche entered a not-guilty plea and formally denied a sentencing enhancement alleged in the criminal complaint. Filed this winter, that complaint accuses him of having in excess of 1,000 computer files of child sexual abuse material, specifying at least 10 involving children under the age of 12. Prosecutors say the enhancement, if ultimately proven, would increase the maximum prison term he could face, according to The Press Democrat.
Investigation and school response
Investigators first identified Courtemarche in 2025 during a probe into online file sharing and later obtained a search warrant tied to an IP address, which they served last July, according to local reporting. Authorities say devices seized during that search yielded the child sexual abuse material described in court, and the longtime coach was removed from the Santa Rosa City Schools substitute list soon after. In January, the district also took down a sign honoring him at the Santa Rosa High track, KSRO reported.
Legal stakes and next steps
Possession of child sexual abuse material is a felony under California law and can bring prison time along with other penalties. Courtemarche has denied the alleged sentencing enhancement and remains free on pretrial release. His next court appearance is set for April 7, in Sonoma County Superior Court, according to The Press Democrat. Prosecutors say the arrest grew out of a proactive investigation into file-sharing networks and that the district attorney’s office is preparing for additional proceedings.
Community reaction
Neighbors and former athletes who knew Courtemarche as a decades-long fixture at Santa Rosa High say they have been stunned by the allegations and the scale of the material described in court records. School district leaders and law enforcement officials have urged the public to let the legal process play out and asked anyone with information to contact investigators, KSRO reported.
