Turlock City Council candidate sued for defamation over assault claims
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- Turlock council candidate sued for defamation after public assault accusations.
- Plaintiff, a substitute teacher, seeks at least $300,000 and jury determination.
- Police probe found no evidence; police officials deny any cover-up.
A Turlock City Council candidate is facing a defamation lawsuit after accusing a substitute teacher at Turlock Junior High School of allegedly sexually assaulting her daughter and claiming the school district worked with law enforcement to cover it up.
The lawsuit alleges that Kelley Coelho, who is running for Turlock City Council District 1, made the accusations both in public and in social media posts stemming from October.
The lawsuit was filed this month in Stanislaus County Superior Court by substitute teacher Vance Yarbrough, who is seeking damages to be determined by a jury, estimated at no less than $300,000.
Coelho, an Army veteran, owns the private investigation firm B & C Investigations and will run against incumbent Councilmember Kevin Bixel, who is seeking reelection.
In a statement to The Bee, Coelho said she’s been advised not to comment on specific allegations at this time due to the active litigation.
“I categorically deny any wrongdoing and stand by my actions, which were taken out of concern for my child and other children’s safety and well-being in our community. I am fully committed to ensuring justice and due process for my family and the other families in our community,” Coelho stated. “I am confident the legal process will address the claims appropriately.”
What was alleged?
During a substitute assignment on Oct. 22, Yarbrough encountered repeated behavioral issues with Coelho’s daughter, according to the complaint. The classroom’s regular teacher previously had told him the student has behavioral problems.
The complaint alleges the student refused to do classwork, pretended not to speak English and called Yarbrough names in Spanish.
When Yarbrough contacted the office to have the student removed from the classroom, she attempted to leave before the security officer arrived. The complaint states that Yarbrough then blocked the doorway with his arm and told her she needed to remain in class. The student pushed past him and later accused Yarbrough of assault, including allegations that he grabbed her chest and refused to let go.
A subsequent police investigation, which included a review of campus security footage and witness statements, concluded that no crime occurred and found no evidence to support the student’s allegations.
Five days after the incident, Coelho posted on her business social media account a photo of Yarbrough and wrote, “This is Vance Yarbrough. He assaulted a female student at Turlock Junior High School by aggressively grabbing her breasts and waist.”
Coelho also stated that the school district is working with law enforcement to “cover up yet another investigation by trying to control the outcome.”
“This isn’t the first and it’s not going to be the last. They have a duty to protect who is paying them,” reads the social media post. “If you have any information on this guy, keep sending it over.” Coelho also liked comments that threatened physical harm against Yarbrough had the commenters been in that situation.
The lawsuit states that Coelho was “aware of the falsity of her statements but continued to do so to harm [Yarbrough].”
Dustin Dyer, the attorney representing Yarbrough, said Coelho’s accusations have damaged his client’s future employability and exposed him to the risk of physical harm by posting his photo online.
“It’s clearly just a refusal to acknowledge that their child lied and ran with it,” Dyer said. “Now the mom has picked up that lie and decided she’s going to try and ruin this man who did nothing wrong except try to have her daughter comply with the school’s rules.”
Police deny accusations of a cover-up
At the Nov. 4 Turlock Unified School District board meeting, Coelho’s daughter spoke during public comment about the alleged assault.
She said she takes responsibility for her own actions and for anything that occurred leading up to the incident, “but him putting his hands on me does not take away from what happened or how it affected me.”
Reading from a statement on her phone, she asked the board what policies would be put in place to protect students and questioned when cover-ups between school districts and police departments became normalized.
Afterward, Coelho spoke in support of her daughter and repeated the allegations she had previously posted on social media, calling for accountability from the city of Turlock and its Police Department.
She also referenced other recent incidents in which students in the district were allegedly assaulted, saying TUSD was pushing those investigations “under the rug.”
Following Coelho, Turlock Associated Police Officers President Greg Roton spoke. He said her comments, particularly those aimed at Turlock Junior High’s principal and the officer involved in the case, crossed the line, especially in light of her run for public office.
“I think the motherly instinct in her has taken over and clouded judgment,” Roton said.
He denied any cover-up between the Police Department and the school district, questioning what interest the department would have in doing such.
Later during the meeting, Coelho returned to public comment and said her statements have nothing to do with her running for office but rather with her daughter’s alleged assault and what she described as an improper investigation. She also called for an independent and thorough review of all cases referred to multiple oversight bodies.
Several clips from the board meeting have circulated in Turlock Facebook groups, sparking discussion and criticism of Coelho. She responded to many posts from her various accounts, defending herself.
Coelho claimed the officer handling her daughter’s case closed it quickly without interviewing two key eyewitnesses. She also said she was told someone overheard a conversation in the school office in which the officer was directed to “destroy the evidence.”
In response to Coelho’s Nov. 9 comments, Turlock Police Chief Jason Hedden said that he takes the allegations seriously but that the department’s investigation found no evidence to support them.
“Making unverified claims in public doesn’t make them true … it makes them irresponsible,” Hedden wrote.
Hedden asked that Coelho submit any evidence she has. She can’t expect authorities to take her word she has evidence when she hasn’t provided anything, he said. “For lack of better terms, ‘Put up or shut up!’” Hedden wrote.
On Nov. 15, Coelho commented on another Facebook post, saying it is inappropriate and unlawful for a police chief or any law enforcement official to publicly discuss an active investigation.
“No family should ever be subjected to intimidation or public commentary from the same department responsible for investigating their case,” Coelho wrote. “I will continue pursuing this matter through the proper legal channels to ensure full due process and justice.”
A case management conference for the lawsuit has been scheduled for April 13, 2026 at Stanislaus County Superior Court in Department 23.
This story was originally published December 23, 2025 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Turlock City Council candidate sued for defamation over assault claims."
