A former Fresno High School volunteer coach accused of inappropriate contact with a student-athlete has a long criminal record, including a rape conviction and multiple felony charges, according to public court records.
Allegations of Misconduct
Dusty William Lewis was accused by a former girls’ softball player of unwanted touching “under the guise of instruction.” The student, who attended Fresno High from 2021 to 2025, filed a legal claim against the Fresno Unified School District (FUSD) on August 26, alleging the district’s negligent hiring, retention, and supervision of Lewis.
The student also claims that she and others reported Lewis’s “frightening” behavior to school staff — including coaches, administrators, and the athletic director — but that no action was taken.
District staff later removed the item from the School Board’s consent agenda, and FUSD officials confirmed the claim will be revisited at a future meeting.
A Record of Prior Convictions
Lewis is a registered sex offender, previously convicted of rape by force or fear in 2001. He later served four years in prison in 2014 after being convicted of fleeing police, transporting marijuana, and possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon.
He was recently charged again for unlawfully entering a school campus as a registered sex offender.
Public records on Megan’s Law and the Fresno County Superior Court websites list all of Lewis’s past and pending cases.
District spokesperson A.J. Kato said all FUSD volunteers undergo fingerprinting and background checks — a process meant to flag prior convictions — but declined to confirm whether Lewis was ever officially employed by the district.
Ongoing Legal Proceedings
Lewis currently faces two active criminal cases in Fresno County.
In one case, he was arrested July 10 for inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant and disrupting school activities. Prosecutors later added a charge for unlawful school entry by a sex offender, with a pre-trial hearing set for December 4.
In another, Lewis faces seven felony counts, including assault with a firearm, criminal threats, and possession of a firearm by a felon. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and a settlement conference is also scheduled for December 4.
District Oversight Under Question
The allegations have renewed scrutiny over Fresno Unified’s volunteer screening process. While the district maintains that all prospective volunteers must be cleared through background checks, critics say the case highlights gaps in oversight and accountability.
As of now, Lewis no longer has access to Fresno Unified campuses or students. The district’s Risk Management Department is reviewing the case before it returns to the board for further consideration.
