Former high school wrestling coach sentenced to 69 years to life in prison for lewd acts

A former Torrance High School wrestling coach was sentenced to more than 69 years to life in prison Friday for molesting 25 male students on the team.

Superior Court Judge Mark Arnold handed down the sentence to Thomas Joseph Snider during an hour-long hearing in a Torrance courtroom, according to a court officer.

Snider, 48, was convicted earlier this month of 29 felony counts of lewd acts with children and eight misdemeanor counts of molestation. Snider taught at the school and worked as the wrestling coach in 1995, 1996 and from 2013 to 2015.

The conviction came after a dramatic trial during which victims testified that the longtime educator touched their genitals under the pretense of nude “skin inspections,” according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Prosecutors said Snider forced victims to remove their clothing and watched students as they showered. He also massaged several students, according to court testimony.

Prosecutors said that school officials learned of the abuse after students told members of a rival team about Snider’s nude skin checks.

Attorneys for some of the victims have sued the Torrance Unified School District, claiming that administrators there failed to protect their clients and other young boys from Snider.

The school district did not respond to a request for comment.

Snider began working for the school district in 1990 as a career technical education teacher, the district said.

The school district placed him on administrative leave in January 2015 after the initial allegations, police said. After his arrest in April 2015, he was placed on unpaid leave, according to a school district statement.

Snider was sent a notice of termination after his conviction, according to an email from Torrance Unified Superintendent George Mannon.

ben.poston@latimes.com

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Times staff writer Matt Hamilton contributed to this report.