Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala (PCVA) is seeking anyone with information about alleged sexual abuse by youth volleyball coach Edgar Lazaro Castillo, who has coached players at clubs, high schools, and colleges in and around New York City for more than a decade. The FBI has publicly asked potential victims and witnesses to come forward as part of an ongoing federal investigation.
This article provides information about the allegations, the coaching positions Mr. Castillo is reported to have held, and the civil legal options that may be available to survivors and their families in New York. If you or someone you know has information about Mr. Castillo, please contact our New York attorneys for a free, confidential consultation.
Who is Edgar Lazaro Castillo?
Edgar Lazaro Castillo, 36, also known publicly as Edgar Lazaro, is a longtime youth and collegiate volleyball coach based in the New York City metropolitan area. According to reporting by The New York Times and the New York Post, Mr. Castillo grew up in the Bronx, played collegiately at York College in Queens, and has coached hundreds of players since approximately 2010.
Reported coaching positions include:
- Director of the boys’ volleyball program at NYC Impact Volleyball Club
- Assistant coach of the men’s varsity volleyball team at John Jay College of Criminal Justice
- Boys’ volleyball coach at Xavier High School, a Catholic school in Manhattan (2024–2025)
- Women’s volleyball coach at St. Joseph’s University in Brooklyn
- Former coach at Legacy Volleyball Club (reportedly terminated in 2014)
- Volunteer and independent vendor with New York City Public Schools
- High school referee and referee scheduler in the New York area
Mr. Castillo was suspended from his assistant coaching position at John Jay College last month after the school was notified of the investigation, and the school has stated it is cooperating with authorities. Xavier High School has also confirmed it is cooperating with the FBI.
What is Edgar Lazaro Castillo Accused Of?
According to the FBI’s New York field office, Mr. Castillo has been identified as an individual involved in the alleged sexual exploitation of minors. In a public statement, the FBI said it believes he “primarily targeted minors who participated in volleyball leagues between the timeframe of 2010 and March 2026 in multiple states, primarily New York City.”
Public reporting indicates that the federal investigation began after a teenage player from NYC Impact Volleyball Club reported that Mr. Castillo allegedly assaulted him in a hotel room during a tournament in Boston in March 2026. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, based in Brooklyn, is investigating alongside the FBI.
The FBI has said it believes Mr. Castillo has fled the United States and has launched an international manhunt. The bureau has posted a questionnaire for potential victims on its website and is asking anyone with information to come forward.
It has also been reported that Mr. Castillo was fired from Legacy Volleyball Club in 2014 after the club’s owner raised concerns about inappropriate contact with minor players on social media and by text message. According to reporting, those concerns were relayed at the time to the Garden Empire Volleyball Association (GEVA), the regional governing body.
As with any investigation, Mr. Castillo is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. PCVA is not part of the criminal investigation. We represent survivors of sexual abuse in civil matters and are seeking information from anyone who may have knowledge of Mr. Castillo’s conduct.
Who May Have Information?
Given the length of Mr. Castillo’s coaching career and the number of organizations he is reported to have worked with, potential witnesses and survivors may include:
- Current and former players at NYC Impact Volleyball Club
- Current and former players at Legacy Volleyball Club
- Current and former student-athletes at John Jay College of Criminal Justice
- Current and former student-athletes at Xavier High School
- Current and former student-athletes at St. Joseph’s University (Brooklyn)
- Players from New York City public high schools where Mr. Castillo refereed or volunteered
- Players from other clubs, tournaments, or camps where he coached or officiated
- Parents, coaches, referees, and administrators who witnessed or heard about concerning conduct
Even if you are not sure whether what you witnessed or experienced is relevant, your information may help survivors and their families. All conversations with our attorneys are free and strictly confidential.
Sexual Abuse in Youth Sports
Youth and club sports are built on trust. Parents and athletes rely on coaches, referees, and administrators to prioritize children’s safety. Unfortunately, the same access, authority, and time alone with young athletes that make coaching effective can also be exploited by predators. This is true across sports, but travel-based club programs — where coaches routinely accompany teenagers on overnight trips, control playing time and recruiting exposure, and communicate with players directly via text and social media — can present particular risks.
In many high-profile cases, warning signs were reported years before criminal charges were filed, but clubs, governing bodies, and schools failed to act decisively. When those failures allow abuse to continue, the institutions that employed or sanctioned the coach can sometimes be held accountable under civil law. Learn more about how we represent survivors of athlete and coach sexual abuse and student sexual abuse.
What Are the Civil Legal Options for Survivors in New York?
A criminal investigation is separate from a civil lawsuit. Criminal cases are brought by prosecutors and can result in imprisonment or other criminal penalties for the accused. A civil case is brought by the survivor or the survivor’s family and can seek accountability and financial compensation for harm such as:
- Therapy and counseling expenses
- Medical costs
- Emotional trauma and psychological harm
- Lost educational and athletic opportunities
- Other damages allowed under New York law
In some situations, civil claims may involve more than the individual accused. Depending on the facts, there may be questions about hiring and background screening, supervision, training, reporting policies, and whether warning signs were missed or ignored by employers, schools, clubs, or governing bodies.
How Long Do I Have to File a Civil Lawsuit in New York?
New York generally allows survivors to file a civil lawsuit for sexual abuse within three years of the date of the abuse. In addition, if the abuse occurred when the survivor was a minor, the New York Child Victims Act permits the survivor to file a lawsuit against the perpetrator and responsible institutions until they reach the age of 55, provided the abuse occurred after 2018 or the survivor was under the age of 21 as of February 14, 2018.
These timelines can be complex, and exceptions may apply. We encourage anyone with questions about deadlines to speak with us directly so we can evaluate your individual situation.
Can I Come Forward Anonymously?
In most cases, yes. New York law generally allows survivors of sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits using a pseudonym — such as “John Doe” or “Jane Doe” — or their initials. In some cases, it may also be possible to resolve a matter privately without filing a public lawsuit. Protecting our clients’ privacy is a priority at every stage.
Why Families Contact PCVA
Families reach out for many reasons beyond seeking compensation. Many want:
- Answers about what happened and how
- Help navigating law enforcement and school communications
- Guidance on protecting their child and finding trauma-informed resources
- Accountability for the institutions that may have failed to protect them
PCVA has represented survivors of coach, teacher, clergy, and doctor sexual abuse across the country. We take a trauma-informed approach to these cases, and our work is done on a contingency basis — meaning there is no fee unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
Free, Confidential Consultation
If you or someone you know has information about Edgar Lazaro Castillo, or if you or your child experienced abuse by Mr. Castillo, our attorneys are here to listen. We represent survivors of sexual abuse in New York from our New York office at 120 Broadway, 26th Floor, Manhattan.
To speak with our team, please complete our online contact form or call our New York office at (212) 300-2444. All consultations are free and strictly confidential. You can also learn more about how we support sexual abuse survivors.
Disclaimer: The allegations described in this article are based on public reporting and statements from law enforcement. Mr. Castillo has not been convicted of any crime in connection with this investigation and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Contacting PCVA does not create an attorney-client relationship.