Riverside County, CA - Coachella Valley Unified School District Adult-Education Teacher, Luis Alfonso Martinez, Charged With Sexually Assaulting Minors

Adult-Education Teacher Facing Charges of Sexual Assault

According to KESQ News Channel 3, 42-year-old Luis Alfonso Martinez has been accused of sexually assaulting a minor while employed as an adult-education teacher in the Coachella Valley Unified School District. 

Police received a complaint against Martinez for crimes that took place from October 2010 to October 2014. He was arrested on August 12, 2021, and is currently residing at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning with a bail of $1 million. 

Although he has pleaded not guilty, court records show he is facing charges of

• two felony counts of oral copulation or sexual penetration of a child under ten
• two felony counts of a lewd act with a child under fourteen with force
• one felony count of committing three or more lewd acts with a child under fourteen

Legal Options for Victims of Sexual Assualt

Jason Amala, our attorney contributor, has represented numerous victims and their families in civil lawsuits involving sexual assault. Bobby has shared some of his knowledge on the legal options of victims sexually abused by a teacher.

"Schools and their administration have a legal obligation to protect their students while providing a safe learning environment. Unfortunately, there have been too many cases of teacher sexual assault across the country. Predators often gain access to employment with positions of power and trust in order to exploit students sexually. In order to avoid sexual assault and provide protection to students, schools should maintain adequate safety measures. Some of these could include installing surveillance cameras throughout the school campus, implementing proper background checks on all staff members, and even maintaining a sufficient reporting system. If such security measures are not in place and a crime takes place, the school and its administration could be held responsible."

"In the event of a crime, victims along with their families should question if adequate safety measures were in place. If a school falls short of providing adequate safety, it may be considered liable in a lawsuit for negligence. Another example of neglect would be if a teacher or staff member was reported for misconduct and yet the school officials failed to report it or conduct an investigation. Victims and their families should acquire the assistance of an experienced sexual assault attorney."

Sources:

KESQ News Channel 3