Ex-LAUSD teacher charged with additional molestation felony

A former Los Angeles Unified schoolteacher has been charged with an additional felony in connection with the alleged molestation of a child in Orange County eight years ago.

Robert Pimentel, 57, a fourth-grade teacher, is already facing 15 counts of lewd acts or continuous sexual abuse.

Prosecutors said the victim is among the 12 children he is already accused of molesting in Los Angeles County from 2004 to 2012, said Jane Robison, a district attorney's spokeswoman.

The bulk of the allegations involve abuse between September 2011 and March 2012. LAPD began investigating Pimentel in March 2012 after reports from parents at George de la Torre Jr. Elementary in Wilmington.

Several years ago, Newport Beach police investigated allegations involving four victims, but the Orange County district attorney's office declined to file criminal charges and ordered a reinvestigation. That work was recently turned over to prosecutors in Los Angeles County.  

Navy officer found dead in his San Diego apartment

Homicide detectives from the San Diego Police Department are investigating the case of a Navy officer found dead inside his Mission Valley apartment.

Ensign Jonathan Jake Tenorio, 25, a native of Guam and a recent graduate of the Naval Academy, was found Sunday morning in his apartment, with a blood trail leading from the body. Although no cause of death has been determined, police noted that he appeared to have been stabbed.

Police went to the apartment after receiving a call from his roommate saying he had found Tenorio dead that morning.

Tenorio had been serving as a surface warfare officer on the guided-missile cruiser Bunker Hill, Navy officials said. He had graduated from the Naval Academy last year.

Tenorio's father, Joe Tenorio, told the Pacific News Center that his son's wife and four brothers had just returned from visiting him in San Diego. "He's very respectful," he said of his dead son. "He has a beautiful wife and she's very respectful also. We're very, very close; we're a tight-knit family."

The Navy is cooperating with police in the investigation, Navy officials said.

-- Tony Perry in San Diego

 

Second parent says principal ignored concerns about accused teacher

A second parent at a George de la Torre Elementary School in Wilmington has come forward to say that the former principal ignored allegations that a teacher was touching students inappropriately.

Maria Zacapa, whose child is now in the eighth grade, said her son told her four years ago that Robert Pimental had touched a girl in his fourth-grade class in a way that made Zacapa's son feel uncomfortable.

"We went to the principal and she didn't do anything to help us," Zacapa said in Spanish. The parent added that Principal Irene Hinojosa did not allow Zacapa to volunteer at the school after her complaint.

Prosecutors last week charged former De la Torre teacher Pimentel, 57, with molesting 12 students at the school and said there are additional victims. Pimentel has pleaded not guilty.

Zacapa’s account, given in an interview with The Times, corroborated that of another parent, who is still a volunteer at the school.

Last week, Magdalena Gonzalez said Hinojosa had been made aware of several questionable alleged incidents involving Pimentel about three years ago.

In Gonzalez’s account, a girl told her parent that Pimentel had playfully spanked students. Gonzalez also said she and other volunteers saw Pimentel pull on a student's bra strap during a fifth-grade graduation ceremony.

Gonzalez also alleged that Hinojosa was dismissive of their complaints and allowed Pimentel to have students in his classroom during recess and lunch despite their misgivings.

"We told her he was touching the girls," Gonzalez said in Spanish.

The L.A. Police Department began investigating Pimentel last March, when they learned of more recent allegations at the school.

Internal district records indicate that in 2002 and 2008 the principal was told of alleged inappropriate touching but failed to alert law enforcement authorities, as required by law, said L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy.

Deasy was preparing to fire the teacher and the principal when both resigned last March.

The police said last week that they will launch an investigation into whether the principal should face charges for failing to report alleged abuse. She could not be reached for comment.

ALSO:

Actor Taye Diggs chases, captures alleged burglar, LAPD says

Chris Brown, Frank Ocean reportedly brawl over a parking spot

Latino kids disproportionately victimized by teachers, lawyer says

-- Dalina Castellanos and Howard Blume

Photo: Television crews wait outside George de la Torre Jr. Elementary in the Wilmington area of Los Angeles last week. Robert Pimentel, a former fourth-grade teacher there, has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing students at the school. Credit: Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press

Latino kids disproportionately victimized by teachers, lawyer says

A former state senator called Monday for an investigation into what she said was a disproportionately large number of Latino students believed to have been victimized by teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Martha Escutia, now an attorney working for a law firm that represents families suing the district over teacher sexual misconduct, called for an independent investigation as she appeared at a news conference with a handful of parents in front of George de la Torre Elementary School in Wilmington.

Last week, a former de la Torre teacher, Robert Pimentel, 57, was arrested on suspicion of molesting 12 students at the school. Pimentel has pleaded not guilty.

“I just want accountability and transparency,” Escutia said. “Their silence is deafening,” she added, referring to district officials.

District officials defended their intentions and recent actions regarding misconduct but didn't directly address Escutia’s accusation that Latinos were, in effect, allowed to be targeted.

“Every child we serve is important, and we would never willfully place students in harm’s way,” said district general counsel David Holmquist. “We are consistently working to strengthen student safety, including implementing numerous policy changes and supporting meaningful statewide legislative reforms.”

The idea that Latinos have been more exposed to risk because of negligence or willful action has circulated for some time. It’s been documented that some teachers and principals have moved from school to school, causing problems in more than one place. Some advocates for children say such transfers would never have been tolerated in more affluent communities.

District officials say repeated transfers of employees with poor performance or questionable behavior are a thing of the past. They point to newly adopted policies, district participation in a state audit and the launch of an investigative commission led by retired California Supreme Court Justice Carlos Moreno.

The case attracting the most attention has been that of former Miramonte Elementary teacher Mark Berndt, 62, who faces 23 counts of lewd conduct for allegedly spoon-feeding semen to blindfolded students and taking bizarre photos of them. Berndt, who has pleaded not guilty, spent his entire teaching career at Miramonte.

Pimentel taught at schools in South Los Angeles, Carson and Wilmington. In Carson and Wilmington, he worked for principal Irene Hinojosa. According to L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy, Hinojosa received allegations that Pimentel had touched students inappropriately but she didn't report those allegations to police.

ALSO:

Actor Taye Diggs chases, captures alleged burglar, LAPD says

Chris Brown, Frank Ocean reportedly brawl over a parking spot

Ex-homeowner arrested after remains found in yard; murder suspected

-- Dalina Castellanos and Howard Blume

Photo: Former state Sen. Martha Escutia at a news conference Monday in front of George De La Torre Jr. Elementary School in Wilmington. Photo: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

Principal faces probe over teacher held in abuse of 20 kids

A now-retired principal faces a criminal investigation after school officials said she twice failed to report accusations of sexual misconduct by a teacher who this week was arrested on suspicion of molesting 19 students at a Wilmington elementary school.

In 2002 and 2008, the principal was told that the teacher, Robert Pimentel, 57, inappropriately touched a student. But the principal failed to tell law enforcement authorities, as required by law, said L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy. The Los Angeles Police Department began investigating Pimentel in March, when they learned of more recent allegations at George de la Torre Elementary School.

LAPD Capt. Fabian Lizarraga said Thursday that detectives will launch an investigation into whether the principal, Irene Hinojosa, should face charges for failing to report alleged abuse. She could not be reached for comment Thursday.

It remains unclear why Hinojosa did not tell authorities about the accusations. The 2008 allegation also occurred at De la Torre. The 2002 allegation was made when Pimentel was a teacher and Hinojosa was the principal at Dominguez Elementary in Carson, Deasy said.

De la Torre school volunteer and parent Magdalena Gonzalez said Thursday that three years ago, a girl told her parents that Pimentel had playfully spanked students. Gonzalez also said she and other volunteers saw Pimentel pull on a student’s bra strap during a fifth-grade graduation ceremony.

Gonzalez alleged that Hinojosa was dismissive of their complaints and that she allowed Pimentel to have students in his classroom during recess and lunch despite their misgivings.

“We told her he was touching the girls,” Gonzalez said in Spanish.

School employees are required by law to report allegations of sexual misconduct to police. They also are supposed to report such issues to their supervisors, according to school district policies.

The revelations angered parents and once again placed the Los Angeles Unified School District under scrutiny over its handling of student abuse cases. A state audit released in November found that Los Angeles school officials failed to promptly report nearly 150 cases of suspected misconduct to state authorities, including allegations of sexual contact with students.

The audit resulted from the furor over the case of a Miramonte Elementary School teacher who was charged last year with allegedly spoonfeeding his semen to blindfolded students, feeding them tainted cookies and taking bizarre photos of them. The school had received previous complaints about the teacher, Mark Berndt, that had resulted in no discipline. Berndt has pleaded not guilty.

On Thursday, Deasy also took issue with the handling of the case by the state Commission on Teacher Credentialing. The commission failed to suspend or revoke the credential of either educator after the district informed the state of the allegations.

If Pimentel had applied to work as a substitute teacher at another school system, the state would have reported him in good standing as recently as Thursday.

A commission spokeswoman said Thursday that it cannot automatically suspend a teacher’s credential until charges are filed. But the commission does has the discretion to act sooner, said Erin Sullivan, who said she could not comment on specific cases.

Hinojosa’s case is “scheduled to be taken up by the commission” next Thursday at its regular meeting, she added.

Pimentel is charged with seven counts of lewd and lascivious acts with children younger than 14 and with eight felony counts of continuous sexual abuse involving eight victims. The charges cover September 2011 to March 2012, when Pimentel worked at De la Torre. He was charged with molesting 12 students, but police allege there are a total of 20 child victims.

He was taken into custody shortly after noon Wednesday and was being held on $2-million bail. Pimentel pleaded not guilty Thursday, and his attorney Richard Knickerbocker said his client is “absolutely innocent.”

Knickerbocker described the touching as appropriate, and said it falls within district policy.

In one instance, Pimentel hugged a girl and “gave her a kiss on the forehead,” Knickerbocker said. Pimentel never touched “any private parts.”

“Right now, we have accusations,” Knickerbocker said. “That's all.”

Prosecutor did not detail Pimentel’s alleged crimes in court papers.

But a law enforcment source close to the investigation said he allegedly touched children “multiple times over a period of time,”

The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case was ongoing, said Pimentel is accused of inappropriately touching 9- and 10-year-old girls, sometimes under their clothing and in their genital areas.

The alleged incidents occurred on the school grounds, often in his classroom. The alleged victims are mainly his students but also girls who helped in his classroom. Some students have stepped forward as witnesses to the touching of other students, authorities said.

District officials said they learned in March — when the police investigation was launched — that Hinojosa failed to report the earlier allegations.

Deasy said he then moved quickly to fire both teacher and principal. The dismissal was scheduled for the next Board of Education meeting, in April 2012, but Pimentel and Hinojosa resigned March 27, Deasy said.

ALSO:

Manti Te'o tells Katie Couric: 'What I went through was real'

Fontana not the only school district to arm police with rifles

Bell defense: Rizzo ‘ripped off the city’ and ‘duped’ council

--Adolfo Flores in Wilmington, Howard Blume and Richard Winton

Ex-teacher 'absolutely innocent' of abuse, attorney says

A former Los Angeles teacher pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that he sexually abused several of his students.

Robert Pimentel, 57, appeared in a Long Beach courtroom Thursday afternoon and entered his not guilty plea. Pimentel is charged with seven counts of lewd and lascivious acts with children younger than 14 and with eight felony counts of continuous sexual abuse involving eight victims. Police suspect there may be at least 20 victims.

Outside the courtroom, his attorney Richard Knickerbocker said Pimentel is "absolutely innocent."

Pimentel's lawyer described the touching as appropriate, and that it falls under the district's no touching policy. 

In one instance, Pimentel hugged a girl and "gave her a kiss on the forehead," Knickerbocker said. 

He likened the accusations to the McMartin Preschool abuse case, in which accusations and arrests were made, but no one was convicted.

He described the allegations of lewd acts as "no touching of any private parts. Outside patting across the back."

"Right now, we have accusations," Knickerbocker said. "That's all. We have no indication of probable cause."

Pimentel, 57, was arrested Wednesday by Los Angeles police detectives, who had launched an investigation in March after several fourth-grade girls said they had been inappropriately touched.

Los Angeles schools Supt. John Deasy acknowledged Thursday that allegations against Pimentel also arose in 2002 and 2008, but that the district has no record that the allegations went beyond the schools where Pimental worked at the time.

Both Pimentel and the school's principal, Irene Hinojosa, were immediately removed when the district found out about the allegations in March.

Deasy said he removed the principal because he was "dissatisfied" with how the situation was handled at the school.

ALSO:

Manti Te'o tells Katie Couric: 'What I went through was real'

Fontana not the only school district to arm police with rifles

Bell defense: Rizzo ‘ripped off the city’ and ‘duped’ council

-- Adolfo Flores in Long Beach

Accused teacher was 'touching the girls,' parents complained

The teacher accused of abusing 20 children was known to playfully spank students and inappropriately touch students, according to a school volunteer who said she witnessed and reported some of the inappropriate behavior.

Magdalena Gonzalez said she and other parent volunteers at George de la Torre Jr. Elementary School in Wilmington first complained to the school's then-principal about teacher Robert Pimentel. But Gonzalez said their warnings were not heeded.

Gonzalez, who still volunteers at the school even though her children no longer attend, said the volunteers lodged the complaints with the principal after a friend’s daughter told them Pimentel lightly spanked students.

Some volunteers, including Gonzalez, also saw Pimentel pull on a student’s bra strap during a fifth-grade graduation ceremony, Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said then-principal Irene Hinojosa was dismissive of the complaints and allowed the teacher to stay in the classroom with students during recess and lunch despite their concerns.

“We told her he was touching the girls,” Gonzalez said in Spanish.

After they complained about Pimentel, Hinojosa “would make it hard for us to volunteer,” Gonzalez said.

“She didn’t like the parent volunteers,” Gonzalez said. “She didn’t like the extra eyes.”

Pimentel, 57, was arrested Wednesday by Los Angeles police detectives, who had launched an investigation in March after several fourth-grade girls said they had been inappropriately touched.

Two previous allegations against teacher accused of abusing 20 kids

A former teacher arrested on sexual abuse allegations involving 20 children was previously alleged to have inappropriately touched students as early as 2002, but the accusations went unreported, a top LAUSD official said Thursday.

Robert Pimentel, 57, a former teacher at George de la Torre Elementary School in Wilmington, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of committing lewd acts and sexually abusing 20 children and one adult, law enforcement authorities said.

JOIN OUR LIVE VIDEO DISCUSSION AT 1:30 P.M. PT.

The current charges allege sexual abuse and lewd acts on children from September 2011 to March 2012. Authorities said the teacher is suspected of inappropriately touching children under and over their clothing.

L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy said Thursday that allegations against Pimentel also arose in 2002 and 2008, but the district has no record that the allegations went beyond the schools where Pimental worked at the time.

School employees are legally required to report allegations of sexual misconduct to police. They also are supposed to report such issues to their supervisors, according to Los Angeles Unified School District policies.

The teacher’s file “contained notations of suspected misconduct along the lines of what he was later charged with, which was inappropriate touching of a student,” Deasy said. “I don’t know the specific nature of the touching.”

In both previous instances, the principal in charge was Irene Hinojosa. The 2002 allegation occurred at Dominguez Elementary. The 2008 alleged incident was at George de la Torre Elementary.

After the school district learned last March of the allegations, Hinojosa and Pimentel were immediately removed from their positions.

“There was an allegation that was not properly reported,” Deasy said. “That was enough for me” to take action against the principal.

Hinojosa and Pimentel resigned on March 27 before the proceedings to fire them could be completed, Deasy said.

Teacher accused of molesting 20 students: Parents have questions

The day after news broke that a former teacher at a Wilmington elementary school has been accused of molesting 20 children and one adult, some parents say they still have questions after meeting with administrators.

Parents, mostly Spanish speakers, trickled out of George de la Torre Jr. Elementary School after meeting with administrators Thursday morning. Most walked back home under umbrellas, some carrying children too young to go to school.

"They're saying there are accusations against the teacher but they won't tell us if they have been substantiated," Nancy Najera, 35, of Wilmington, said in Spanish. "It leaves me with a lot of doubts."

Robert Pimentel, 57, who taught at George de la Torre Jr. Elementary School in Wilmington, was taken into custody by Los Angeles police detectives, who had launched an investigation in March after several fourth-grade girls said they had been inappropriately touched.

Prosecutors filed 15 charges against Pimentel involving a dozen alleged victims. The charges allege sexual abuse and lewd acts on a child and cover the period from September 2011 to March 2012, according to court records. Authorities said the teacher is suspected of inappropriately touching children under and over their clothing.

At the meeting with parents, administrators declined to go into specifics regarding the allegations, parents said. Instead, the meeting focused on how to tell students about the accusations and to heed concerns from children, several parents said.

"They didn't tell us what grade he taught," Najera said, adding that her son, who is in kindergarten, has been asking her questions about Pimentel.

"How do I explain this to a child?" she said. "The school tells you they're safe but how do really know?"

Teacher accused in abuse of 20 kids: Early report ignored, Deasy says

The principal of a Wilmington elementary school received an allegation about four years ago that a teacher behaved inappropriately with a student but took no action, Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. John Deasy said Thursday.

The same teacher was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of committing lewd acts and sexually abusing 20 children and an adult, law enforcement authorities said.

Deasy said he removed the principal from her job after learning last March that she hadn't acted on the earlier allegation. “When I reviewed the personnel file of the teacher,” said Deasy. “It came to my attention that several years earlier, in about 2008, there was an allegation that was not properly reported. That was enough for me” to remove the principal.

Deasy added that the teacher’s file “contained notations of suspected misconduct along the lines of what he was later charged with, which was inappropriate touching of a student. I don’t know the specific nature of the touching.”

Robert Pimentel, 57, who taught at George de la Torre Jr. Elementary School in Wilmington, was taken into custody by Los Angeles Police Department detectives, who had launched an investigation in March after several fourth-grade girls said they had been inappropriately touched.

Prosecutors filed 15 charges against Pimentel involving a dozen alleged victims. The charges allege sexual abuse and lewd acts on a child and cover the period from September 2011 to March 2012, according to court records. Authorities said the teacher is suspected of inappropriately touching children under and over their clothing.

Detectives suspect Pimentel victimized an additional eight children and the adult, LAPD Capt. Fabian Lizarraga told The Times.

The nation's second-largest school district has been rocked in the last year by allegations of sexual misconduct involving teachers and students.

In January 2012, a teacher at Miramonte Elementary School in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood was arrested on suspicion of spoon-feeding semen to students in a classroom and taking dozens of photos. Some of the photos show students blindfolded and being fed allegedly tainted cookies.