Charges filed against Berkeley coach in sexual assaults of young swimmers

BERKELEY — The alleged sexual assaults of young boys by a Bay Area swimming instructor went on for more than a year before his arrest last week, according to court records and authorities.

The suspect, Tyler Livingston, 25, of Emeryville, has been criminally charged in alleged assaults on five boys under age 10.

Police in both Berkeley, which is the lead agency in the investigation, and Emeryville, where Livingston lived, have said they believe there might be more victims and are urging them to come forward. Berkeley police said they have been interviewing other potential victims, but have not yet asked prosecutors for additional charges.

Livingston was charged Friday with 11 felony counts, including seven counts of lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14 as well as charges of intercourse or sodomy with a child 10 or under and continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, according to the records.

He was also charged with possession of a controlled substance with a firearm and manufacture or sale of a large capacity magazine, after an unregistered firearm and suspected cocaine were found in his apartment on 40th Street in Emeryville when he was arrested July 11.

He has pleaded not guilty and was being held at Santa Rita Jail without bail. A judge denied his request to be released on his own recognizance on Monday and he was scheduled for a bail hearing Friday.

Berkeley police began their investigation on June 23 after two boys, 6 and 9, “disclosed lewd and lascivious acts performed on them” by Livingston, which “occurred while the children attended swimming lessons inside of the pool,” the records say.

Further investigation led to the discovery of three more victims, and a probable cause warrant was issued for Livingston’s arrest, police said. The alleged victims live in Berkeley and neighboring cities.

According to court documents, the alleged assaults occurred at various times between June 1 of 2023 and July 7 of this year.

Police have not specified the alleged locations of the incidents.

According to his own business page website and other social media platforms, including Nextdoor, Livingston graduated from high school in Pleasant Hill, Missouri and obtained a bachelor’s degree in global studies from Arizona State University.

Livingston said in the online posts that he has been involved in swimming since he was a youth and has eight years’ experience instructing students aged 6-months to 65 years. He said that for the past few years, “I exclusively teach private lessons where I can focus 1:1 with a student to understand their individual abilities and goals in the water.” He said he was available to meet at homes and community pools.

Berkeley police investigators may be reached at 510-981-5715 and Emeryville investigators at 510-596-3733.