http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20130226/BREAKING/130229706
Former karate teacher sentenced in sex assault of girls
By Shannon McFarland
Published: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 12:53 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 3:00 p.m.
SARASOTA - A former karate teacher at the Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday for sexually abusing four girls at the school in 2005 and 2006.
John Garcia, 48, was an instructor at the Sarasota charter school when he was arrested last March. He pleaded no contest to two counts of sexual battery of a child by a person in custodial authority and two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation.
"I am sorry, though I know those words are not enough," Garcia said while crying in court Tuesday, the sheriff's office said.
Last spring, a girl had told authorities that Garcia had locked her in an empty classroom to have sex with her seven years earlier, when she was 14. After Garcia was charged with custodial sexual battery on a child, three more girls — then ages 12 and 13 — came forward to report past sexual abuse by Garcia.
Garcia was suspended from his job when he was arrested, and then resigned.
The first girl, now an adult, went to the sheriff's office about Garcia after her family learned about the sexual assault when she tried to commit suicide by walking into traffic in January 2012, according to a lawsuit she has also filed against the school. The lawsuit alleges that Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences was negligent in hiring and supervising Garcia and did not do enough to protect students.
Initially, many people who knew Garcia were skeptical about the charges. But her testimony, and the three other girls who came forward, was also corroborated by a controlled phone call and incriminating text messages that would have come out during a trial.
Former karate teacher sentenced in sex assault of girls
By Shannon McFarland
Published: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 12:53 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 3:00 p.m.
Page 2 of 2
Craig Schaeffer, the assistant state attorney in the case, said he commended all the victims, who are now adults, for having the courage to come forward and the sheriff's office for investigating even while many people could not believe the charges.
"Hopefully, today's plea and sentence will start to bring closure to the victims and the sentence sends a message to everybody that protecting our kids is paramount," said Schaeffer said.
While a sentencing can bring closure for the victims and their families, Garcia's attorney, Derek Byrd, said in cases like this, no one "leaves the courthouse feeling vindicated."
"These cases in general are always tragic," Byrd said. "Multiple lives are ruined. No one comes out a winner in this thing."
Garcia's friends and family — including two school-age stepchildren with his second wife who Garcia said he met after the incidents of abuse — will also have to live with the fallout, Byrd said.
"He was very well thought of and had a positive impact on the vast majority of the students he came into contact with," he said.
In addition to the 20 years in prison Garcia was sentenced to five years of probation as a sexual predator. He will be listed on the national registry of sexual offenders and predators for the rest of his life.
Former karate teacher sentenced in sex assault of girls
By Shannon McFarland
Published: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 12:53 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 3:00 p.m.
SARASOTA - A former karate teacher at the Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday for sexually abusing four girls at the school in 2005 and 2006.
John Garcia, 48, was an instructor at the Sarasota charter school when he was arrested last March. He pleaded no contest to two counts of sexual battery of a child by a person in custodial authority and two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation.
"I am sorry, though I know those words are not enough," Garcia said while crying in court Tuesday, the sheriff's office said.
Last spring, a girl had told authorities that Garcia had locked her in an empty classroom to have sex with her seven years earlier, when she was 14. After Garcia was charged with custodial sexual battery on a child, three more girls — then ages 12 and 13 — came forward to report past sexual abuse by Garcia.
Garcia was suspended from his job when he was arrested, and then resigned.
The first girl, now an adult, went to the sheriff's office about Garcia after her family learned about the sexual assault when she tried to commit suicide by walking into traffic in January 2012, according to a lawsuit she has also filed against the school. The lawsuit alleges that Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences was negligent in hiring and supervising Garcia and did not do enough to protect students.
Initially, many people who knew Garcia were skeptical about the charges. But her testimony, and the three other girls who came forward, was also corroborated by a controlled phone call and incriminating text messages that would have come out during a trial.
Former karate teacher sentenced in sex assault of girls
By Shannon McFarland
Published: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 12:53 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 3:00 p.m.
Page 2 of 2
Craig Schaeffer, the assistant state attorney in the case, said he commended all the victims, who are now adults, for having the courage to come forward and the sheriff's office for investigating even while many people could not believe the charges.
"Hopefully, today's plea and sentence will start to bring closure to the victims and the sentence sends a message to everybody that protecting our kids is paramount," said Schaeffer said.
While a sentencing can bring closure for the victims and their families, Garcia's attorney, Derek Byrd, said in cases like this, no one "leaves the courthouse feeling vindicated."
"These cases in general are always tragic," Byrd said. "Multiple lives are ruined. No one comes out a winner in this thing."
Garcia's friends and family — including two school-age stepchildren with his second wife who Garcia said he met after the incidents of abuse — will also have to live with the fallout, Byrd said.
"He was very well thought of and had a positive impact on the vast majority of the students he came into contact with," he said.
In addition to the 20 years in prison Garcia was sentenced to five years of probation as a sexual predator. He will be listed on the national registry of sexual offenders and predators for the rest of his life.
http://www2.tbo.com/news/breaking-news/2013/feb/26/sarasota-karate-instructor-gets-20-years-after-sex-ar-644100/
(link not active, page not found on original server: archive of article shown here below)
Sarasota karate instructor gets 20 years after sex charge plea
John Garcia
By RICK MAYER | TBO.com staff
Published: February 26, 2013
» Comments | Post a Comment
A former karate instructor at a Sarasota charter school was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday after pleading no contest to sex charges involving students.
John Garcia, 47, who worked at the Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences, was arrested in March when a woman reported having sex with him in a classroom when she was 14 in 2005.
News coverage of the arrest prompted three other complaints from the 2005-06 school year, investigators said. Those girls were 12 or 13 years old at the time.
One reported having sex with Garcia, investigators said. Two said that Garcia kissed and fondled them in separate incidents in the school's karate dojo, investigators said.
Garcia's plea was on two counts of sexual battery by a person in authority and two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation on a child between 12 and 16 years old.
"I am sorry, though I know those words are not enough," Garcia said in court Tuesday.
Garcia's sentence will be followed by five years of probation. In addition, he was designated a sexual predator.
(link not active, page not found on original server: archive of article shown here below)
Sarasota karate instructor gets 20 years after sex charge plea
John Garcia
By RICK MAYER | TBO.com staff
Published: February 26, 2013
» Comments | Post a Comment
A former karate instructor at a Sarasota charter school was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday after pleading no contest to sex charges involving students.
John Garcia, 47, who worked at the Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences, was arrested in March when a woman reported having sex with him in a classroom when she was 14 in 2005.
News coverage of the arrest prompted three other complaints from the 2005-06 school year, investigators said. Those girls were 12 or 13 years old at the time.
One reported having sex with Garcia, investigators said. Two said that Garcia kissed and fondled them in separate incidents in the school's karate dojo, investigators said.
Garcia's plea was on two counts of sexual battery by a person in authority and two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation on a child between 12 and 16 years old.
"I am sorry, though I know those words are not enough," Garcia said in court Tuesday.
Garcia's sentence will be followed by five years of probation. In addition, he was designated a sexual predator.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120309/ARTICLE/120309506
Sarasota karate teacher charged in sexual battery on student
Staff report
Published: Friday, March 9, 2012 at 3:11 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, March 9, 2012 at 3:11 p.m.
SARASOTA - Sheriff’s officers have arrested a karate instructor at the Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences on a charge of sexual battery on a child after a female student said the teacher had sex with her in his classroom seven years ago.
John Garcia (Photo provided / Sarasota County Sheriff's Office)
John Garcia, 47, of the 2800 block of Poplar Street in Sarasota, was arrested and jailed without bond Friday on the felony charge, according to a sheriff’s release.
A former student of Garcia’s told detectives that she had sex with Garcia in his classroom at the school seven years ago, when she was 14, the release said.
Garcia was suspended with pay Friday pending the outcome of the criminal investigation; he was not arrested on the campus of the school at 645 Central Ave., said school Principal Tara Tahmosh. His photo and information were removed from the school website Friday.
Tahmosh said a robocall notice was sent to parents on Friday alerting them of Garcia’s arrest and that he had been suspended. She said Spring Break starts next week, so the school advised parents to either inform children of the arrest on their own, or wait until after Spring Break, when she and the assistant principal can inform them.
The after-school martial arts program Garcia ran has been suspended; his other classroom duties will be assumed by another martial arts instructor, Tahmosh said.
She said the charter school will cooperate with law enforcement officials as they investigate. She did not have any specific information about the allegations against Garcia, she said.
All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.
Sarasota karate teacher charged in sexual battery on student
Staff report
Published: Friday, March 9, 2012 at 3:11 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, March 9, 2012 at 3:11 p.m.
SARASOTA - Sheriff’s officers have arrested a karate instructor at the Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences on a charge of sexual battery on a child after a female student said the teacher had sex with her in his classroom seven years ago.
John Garcia (Photo provided / Sarasota County Sheriff's Office)
John Garcia, 47, of the 2800 block of Poplar Street in Sarasota, was arrested and jailed without bond Friday on the felony charge, according to a sheriff’s release.
A former student of Garcia’s told detectives that she had sex with Garcia in his classroom at the school seven years ago, when she was 14, the release said.
Garcia was suspended with pay Friday pending the outcome of the criminal investigation; he was not arrested on the campus of the school at 645 Central Ave., said school Principal Tara Tahmosh. His photo and information were removed from the school website Friday.
Tahmosh said a robocall notice was sent to parents on Friday alerting them of Garcia’s arrest and that he had been suspended. She said Spring Break starts next week, so the school advised parents to either inform children of the arrest on their own, or wait until after Spring Break, when she and the assistant principal can inform them.
The after-school martial arts program Garcia ran has been suspended; his other classroom duties will be assumed by another martial arts instructor, Tahmosh said.
She said the charter school will cooperate with law enforcement officials as they investigate. She did not have any specific information about the allegations against Garcia, she said.
All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.