Teacher's Aide Pleads Not Guilty To Molesting Mentally Challenged Teen
TORRANCE (CBSLA.com) — A teacher's aide at a Lawndale high school pleaded not guilty Tuesday to three misdemeanor counts of child molestation involving a mentally challenged teenage girl.
Juan Carlos Gutierrez, who was arrested Friday, was ordered to be jailed on $20,000 bail. A pretrial hearing was set for June 26.
On May 7, the 60-year-old allegedly went into a stairwell at Leuzinger High School with the 16-year-old girl, where he fondled her over her clothing.
"The entire incident was captured on surveillance video," said Sgt. Dan Scott of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Jose Fernandez, the superintendent of the Centinela Valley Union High School District, said he was shocked by the situation.
"We have never had an incident of this nature, and I want to let you know that the board of education and myself and the entire administrative team take this very seriously," he said. "There (are) many other things that we would like to share with you, but unfortunately we cannot compromise the ongoing investigation that the sheriff is doing right now."
Anyone with information about similar alleged conduct by the suspect was urged to call the sheriff's Special Victims Bureau at (877) 710-LASD.
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Teacher's Aide Arrested For Allegedly Molesting Mentally Challenged Student In School Stairwell
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