Ricardo Aldana of JSerra Catholic High School School denies molestation charges (January 30, 2012) |
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO (KTLA) - A former high-school teacher has pleaded not guilty to charges that he engaged in what prosecutors describe as "substantial unlawful sex acts" with a 14-year-old girl.
Ricardo Aldana, 37, has been charged with seven felony counts of lewd acts on a child, and faces up to seven years in state prison if convicted. His attorney has said those alleged acts "simply didn't occur."
"We are not surprised by the charges," attorney Michael Molfetta said. "And we'd like everybody to understand that they're just charges and nothing more."
Aldana taught Spanish and coached boys soccer at JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano. The school fired him after learning about the circumstances of his arrest in December. A statement on the school website says officials were "outraged and sickened by these disturbing allegations."
Prosecutors say Aldana befriended the victim when she was 13. Then in June, after the girl turned 14, Aldana massaged her shoulders while they were alone in his classroom.
They exchanged frequent text messages and spoke on the phone, according to prosecutors.
In September, Aldana allegedly picked up the girl while her mother was out of town and took her to his Dana Point home, sneaking her into his bedroom to avoid being seen by his roommates. There, he engaged in a sexual act with her, prosecutors said.
Orange County Sheriff's detectives began investigating the case after an instructor at an out-of-state honors academic camp claimed he overheard statements made by the victim to other students.
Aldana was released after he posted $100,000 bail.
Ricardo Aldana, 37, has been charged with seven felony counts of lewd acts on a child, and faces up to seven years in state prison if convicted. His attorney has said those alleged acts "simply didn't occur."
"We are not surprised by the charges," attorney Michael Molfetta said. "And we'd like everybody to understand that they're just charges and nothing more."
Aldana taught Spanish and coached boys soccer at JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano. The school fired him after learning about the circumstances of his arrest in December. A statement on the school website says officials were "outraged and sickened by these disturbing allegations."
Prosecutors say Aldana befriended the victim when she was 13. Then in June, after the girl turned 14, Aldana massaged her shoulders while they were alone in his classroom.
They exchanged frequent text messages and spoke on the phone, according to prosecutors.
In September, Aldana allegedly picked up the girl while her mother was out of town and took her to his Dana Point home, sneaking her into his bedroom to avoid being seen by his roommates. There, he engaged in a sexual act with her, prosecutors said.
Orange County Sheriff's detectives began investigating the case after an instructor at an out-of-state honors academic camp claimed he overheard statements made by the victim to other students.
Aldana was released after he posted $100,000 bail.
