http://67.15.208.115/printstory.php?sid=47438&storySection=Local
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March 29, 2007
School teacher, martial arts instructor sentenced
Daniel Lopez
Sentinel staff writer
A former Watsonville elementary school teacher and martial arts instructor who pleaded guilty to a charge of battery in January will spend 15 days in County Jail.
Judge Samuel Stevens sentenced Efrain Israel Ortiz, 44, of Gilroy to the jail term and three years probation Wednesday under a deal Ortiz accepted from the District Attorney's Office.
"It's a very positive outcome," prosecutor Ross Taylor said after the sentencing hearing.
Ortiz also will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life because the court found that Ortiz committed the battery for sexual gratification.
Ortiz, who stood in the courtroom next to his attorney, Alfredo Morales, did not speak during the hearing.
Outside the courthouse, Morales said he and his client did not wish to comment.
According to Taylor, the instructor had an 11-year-old girl touch his genitals during a kung fu lesson last year.
Ortiz was arrested in September after a parent told police about the incident that took place at his now defunct Watsonville studio, Jabez' Academy Martial Arts.
Immediately after his arrest, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District placed Ortiz on leave from his job teaching fourth grade at Landmark Elementary School while the case went through the court system.
The district's assistant superintendent, Catherine Hatch, said Ortiz was fired from his job based on the charges brought by the police department.
Ortiz initially was charged with felony child molestation and a misdemeanor of committing lewd acts with a child.
Had he been convicted of the charges, Ortiz could have spent as many as eight years in state prison.
Taylor said he was glad police were able to intervene before a more serious offense was committed.
Ortiz will have to complete counseling and abide by restrictions on his contact with children.
"I think it's a very sad situation all the way around," said Hatch.
Contact Daniel Lopez at [email protected].
(link not active, page not found on original server: archive of article shown here below)
March 29, 2007
School teacher, martial arts instructor sentenced
Daniel Lopez
Sentinel staff writer
A former Watsonville elementary school teacher and martial arts instructor who pleaded guilty to a charge of battery in January will spend 15 days in County Jail.
Judge Samuel Stevens sentenced Efrain Israel Ortiz, 44, of Gilroy to the jail term and three years probation Wednesday under a deal Ortiz accepted from the District Attorney's Office.
"It's a very positive outcome," prosecutor Ross Taylor said after the sentencing hearing.
Ortiz also will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life because the court found that Ortiz committed the battery for sexual gratification.
Ortiz, who stood in the courtroom next to his attorney, Alfredo Morales, did not speak during the hearing.
Outside the courthouse, Morales said he and his client did not wish to comment.
According to Taylor, the instructor had an 11-year-old girl touch his genitals during a kung fu lesson last year.
Ortiz was arrested in September after a parent told police about the incident that took place at his now defunct Watsonville studio, Jabez' Academy Martial Arts.
Immediately after his arrest, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District placed Ortiz on leave from his job teaching fourth grade at Landmark Elementary School while the case went through the court system.
The district's assistant superintendent, Catherine Hatch, said Ortiz was fired from his job based on the charges brought by the police department.
Ortiz initially was charged with felony child molestation and a misdemeanor of committing lewd acts with a child.
Had he been convicted of the charges, Ortiz could have spent as many as eight years in state prison.
Taylor said he was glad police were able to intervene before a more serious offense was committed.
Ortiz will have to complete counseling and abide by restrictions on his contact with children.
"I think it's a very sad situation all the way around," said Hatch.
Contact Daniel Lopez at [email protected].
http://www.gilroydispatch.com/news/community/gilroy-man-arrested-for-molestation/article_8c36194a-234c-592d-8cb8-acafa28d68dd.html
Gilroy Man Arrested for Molestation
Posted: Saturday, September 30, 2006 12:00 am
Watsonville – An elementary school teacher who owns a martial arts studio was arrested on suspicion of molesting an 11-year-old.
Efrain Israel Ortiz, 44, of Gilroy, was booked and released Thursday on $50,000 bail.
Gilroy Man Arrested for Molestation
Posted: Saturday, September 30, 2006 12:00 am
Watsonville – An elementary school teacher who owns a martial arts studio was arrested on suspicion of molesting an 11-year-old.
Efrain Israel Ortiz, 44, of Gilroy, was booked and released Thursday on $50,000 bail.
http://67.15.208.115/printstory.php?sid=42124&storySection=Local
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September 29, 2006
Watsonville school teacher accused of child molestation
Daniel Lopez
Sentinel staff writer
WATSONVILLE — An elementary school teacher and owner of a martial arts studio was arrested Wednesday night on suspicion he molested an 11-year-old.
Watsonville police arrested Efrain Israel Ortiz, 44, of Gilroy, a fourth-grade teacher at Landmark Elementary School. He was placed on leave Thursday.
Ortiz is head instructor and owner of Jabez' Academy Martial Arts at 24 E. Lake Ave., where he was taken into custody, according to police.
Capt. Eddie Rodriguez said detectives began investigating Ortiz on Monday after a tip from a parent.
"Rumors started flying around about this teacher annoying other students in his class," Rodriguez said.
Detectives and Pajaro Valley Unified School District administrators interviewed a number of students about the allegations. Based on those interviews, the 11-year-old, a former student of Ortiz's at Landmark and a current student at the martial arts school, was identified as a victim, Rodriguez said.
He said there may be a second victim, also a former student of Ortiz.
Rodriguez declined to say when the alleged crimes occurred, but said none took place on school grounds or during school-sponsored activities.
Letters informing Landmark Elementary parents of Ortiz's arrest were sent home Thursday.
Martin Ramirez, who has a son in fifth grade and a daughter in first grade at Landmark, said the news is disturbing.
"If it's true, it's worrisome," he said in Spanish. "As a parent, when you hear about something like this it makes you angry to think someone would abuse a child."
Ortiz has worked in the school district as a teacher since 2000, according to Dorma Baker, assistant superintendent of human resources. He also taught at the former Salsipuedes Elementary School. The staff there moved to Landmark Elementary when the school site opened on Ohlone Parkway, Baker said.
Ortiz passed reference and background checks through the state Department of Justice and was fingerprinted prior to being hired, all district policy, Baker said.
Rodriguez said Ortiz has no criminal history.
An advertisement posted in the window of the martial arts school states he has more than 30 years of experience, holding black belts in Tae Kwon Do and Kempo, and that he published two martial arts books.
In March 2005, he renewed his teaching credential, according to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
Jennifer Wildman, who was appointed principal of Landmark Elementary earlier this week and previously served as assistant principal, said Ortiz's arrest was a shock.
"We are surprised and dealing with it as best we can," she said. "I would never expect this of a teacher."
A 2004 study commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education found almost one in 10 students in grades eight to 11 face sexual misconduct by school employees, ranging from inappropriate comments to forced sex acts.
Catherine Hatch, assistant superintendent of the district, said counselors will be at Landmark to speak with students and parents.
"The most important thing right now is that the parents be made aware and understand that this is a safe place for their kids, that the teachers are here to make sure the students are safe," Hatch said.
Ortiz was released from County Jail on Thursday morning after posting $50,000 bail.
Police asked that anyone with information about the case to call the investigations division at 768-3350.
Contact Daniel Lopez at [email protected].
(link not active, page not found on original server: archive of article shown here below)
September 29, 2006
Watsonville school teacher accused of child molestation
Daniel Lopez
Sentinel staff writer
WATSONVILLE — An elementary school teacher and owner of a martial arts studio was arrested Wednesday night on suspicion he molested an 11-year-old.
Watsonville police arrested Efrain Israel Ortiz, 44, of Gilroy, a fourth-grade teacher at Landmark Elementary School. He was placed on leave Thursday.
Ortiz is head instructor and owner of Jabez' Academy Martial Arts at 24 E. Lake Ave., where he was taken into custody, according to police.
Capt. Eddie Rodriguez said detectives began investigating Ortiz on Monday after a tip from a parent.
"Rumors started flying around about this teacher annoying other students in his class," Rodriguez said.
Detectives and Pajaro Valley Unified School District administrators interviewed a number of students about the allegations. Based on those interviews, the 11-year-old, a former student of Ortiz's at Landmark and a current student at the martial arts school, was identified as a victim, Rodriguez said.
He said there may be a second victim, also a former student of Ortiz.
Rodriguez declined to say when the alleged crimes occurred, but said none took place on school grounds or during school-sponsored activities.
Letters informing Landmark Elementary parents of Ortiz's arrest were sent home Thursday.
Martin Ramirez, who has a son in fifth grade and a daughter in first grade at Landmark, said the news is disturbing.
"If it's true, it's worrisome," he said in Spanish. "As a parent, when you hear about something like this it makes you angry to think someone would abuse a child."
Ortiz has worked in the school district as a teacher since 2000, according to Dorma Baker, assistant superintendent of human resources. He also taught at the former Salsipuedes Elementary School. The staff there moved to Landmark Elementary when the school site opened on Ohlone Parkway, Baker said.
Ortiz passed reference and background checks through the state Department of Justice and was fingerprinted prior to being hired, all district policy, Baker said.
Rodriguez said Ortiz has no criminal history.
An advertisement posted in the window of the martial arts school states he has more than 30 years of experience, holding black belts in Tae Kwon Do and Kempo, and that he published two martial arts books.
In March 2005, he renewed his teaching credential, according to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
Jennifer Wildman, who was appointed principal of Landmark Elementary earlier this week and previously served as assistant principal, said Ortiz's arrest was a shock.
"We are surprised and dealing with it as best we can," she said. "I would never expect this of a teacher."
A 2004 study commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education found almost one in 10 students in grades eight to 11 face sexual misconduct by school employees, ranging from inappropriate comments to forced sex acts.
Catherine Hatch, assistant superintendent of the district, said counselors will be at Landmark to speak with students and parents.
"The most important thing right now is that the parents be made aware and understand that this is a safe place for their kids, that the teachers are here to make sure the students are safe," Hatch said.
Ortiz was released from County Jail on Thursday morning after posting $50,000 bail.
Police asked that anyone with information about the case to call the investigations division at 768-3350.
Contact Daniel Lopez at [email protected].