Guilty Martial Arts Teacher: George Mendoza-Valentino
Age: 27 Owner: Co-Owner Prison: Pled Guilty - Sentence Unknown State: New Jersey Victim(s): 1 Victim Gender: Girl Victim Age: 13 Martial Arts School Name: Springfield A.T.A. Martial Arts Year Accused: 2014 Year Guilty: 2015 |
http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2015/01/springfield_martial_arts_teacher_admits_sexual_ass.html
Springfield martial arts teacher admits sexual assault of girl, 13, at studio
Tom Haydon | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com By Tom Haydon | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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on January 29, 2015 at 4:32 PM, updated January 29, 2015 at 5:03 PM
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George Mendoza-Valentino, 28, of Saddle Brook, faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced for sexually assaulting a girl at a Springfield martial arts studio where he was an instructor.Union County Prosecutor's office
SPRINFIELD — An instructor at a township martial arts studio pleaded guilty today to charges he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old student there, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park said today.
George Mendoza-Valentino, 28, appeared before Superior Court Judge William Daniel in Elizabeth today and pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree sexual assault, Park said.
The Saddle Brook man had been employed at the Springfield A.T.A. Martial Arts Academy, and had assaulted the girl there multiple times, authorities said.
They said Mendoza-Valentino had also sent the girl sexually explicit images and videos and requested that she do the same.
He was arrested last November, shortly after the assaults, which began weeks earlier, Park said.
She said the arrest resulted from a joint investigation involving township police and the Special Victims Unit of the prosecutor's office.
Mendoza-Valentino is expected to receive a prison term of up to 10 years and be on placed on parole supervision for life as a Megan's Law offender when he is sentenced Feb. 20, the prosecutor said.
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Tom Haydon may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Springfield martial arts teacher admits sexual assault of girl, 13, at studio
Tom Haydon | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com By Tom Haydon | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on January 29, 2015 at 4:32 PM, updated January 29, 2015 at 5:03 PM
Screen Shot 2015-01-29 at 4.18.26 PM.png
George Mendoza-Valentino, 28, of Saddle Brook, faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced for sexually assaulting a girl at a Springfield martial arts studio where he was an instructor.Union County Prosecutor's office
SPRINFIELD — An instructor at a township martial arts studio pleaded guilty today to charges he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old student there, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park said today.
George Mendoza-Valentino, 28, appeared before Superior Court Judge William Daniel in Elizabeth today and pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree sexual assault, Park said.
The Saddle Brook man had been employed at the Springfield A.T.A. Martial Arts Academy, and had assaulted the girl there multiple times, authorities said.
They said Mendoza-Valentino had also sent the girl sexually explicit images and videos and requested that she do the same.
He was arrested last November, shortly after the assaults, which began weeks earlier, Park said.
She said the arrest resulted from a joint investigation involving township police and the Special Victims Unit of the prosecutor's office.
Mendoza-Valentino is expected to receive a prison term of up to 10 years and be on placed on parole supervision for life as a Megan's Law offender when he is sentenced Feb. 20, the prosecutor said.
MORE UNION COUNTY NEWS
Tom Haydon may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2014/11/springfield_martial_arts_teacher_accused_of_sex_with_13-year-old_seek_lower_bail.html
Springfield martial arts teacher accused of sex with student seeks reduced bail
Tom Haydon | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com By Tom Haydon | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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on November 20, 2014 at 8:00 AM, updated November 20, 2014 at 10:05 AM
George Valentino.png George Valentino, right, watches his lawyer, Robert Ricco, during court hearing in Elizabeth on charges Valentino sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl at a Springfield martial arts academy where he is part owner.Katie Lannan | NJ Advance Media
UNION COUNTY — A lawyer for a martial arts instructor accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old student at a Springfield academy asked a judge Wednesday to reduce his client’s bail, calling him "an upstanding citizen."
The lawyer for George Valentino, 27, of Saddle Brook, entered not guilty pleas when Valentino appeared in court in Elizabeth on Wednesday for charges of second-degree sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
“Yes ma’am, your honor,” Valentino said in response to questions from Judge Joan Robinson Gross.
Valentino, part owner of the ATA Marital Arts Academy, "committed one or more acts of sexual penetration" on the girl between Sept. 1 and Nov. 8 of this year, according to a complaint filed in court.
Authorities allege Valentino also sent sexually explicit images and videos of himself to the girl, and ask her to send similar photos of herself to him.
In court Wednesday, the lawyer, Robert Ricco, asked the judge to lower the $125,000 bail set on his client, who Ricco said has no criminal record.
“This is the first time he has been charged with a crime. He is not a flight risk. He is an upstanding citizen. He taught CCD at his church,” Ricco said of Valentino.
Union County Assistant Prosecutor Jason Gareis countered that $125,000 was in the middle of the range for bail on the sexual assault charge. He urged that the bail not be changed and that Ricco file a formal request for a bail reduction, and the judge agreed.
Ricco, when questioned outside of court, declined to comment on the case.
MORE UNION COUNTY NEWS
Tom Haydon may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Springfield martial arts teacher accused of sex with student seeks reduced bail
Tom Haydon | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com By Tom Haydon | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on November 20, 2014 at 8:00 AM, updated November 20, 2014 at 10:05 AM
George Valentino.png George Valentino, right, watches his lawyer, Robert Ricco, during court hearing in Elizabeth on charges Valentino sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl at a Springfield martial arts academy where he is part owner.Katie Lannan | NJ Advance Media
UNION COUNTY — A lawyer for a martial arts instructor accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old student at a Springfield academy asked a judge Wednesday to reduce his client’s bail, calling him "an upstanding citizen."
The lawyer for George Valentino, 27, of Saddle Brook, entered not guilty pleas when Valentino appeared in court in Elizabeth on Wednesday for charges of second-degree sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
“Yes ma’am, your honor,” Valentino said in response to questions from Judge Joan Robinson Gross.
Valentino, part owner of the ATA Marital Arts Academy, "committed one or more acts of sexual penetration" on the girl between Sept. 1 and Nov. 8 of this year, according to a complaint filed in court.
Authorities allege Valentino also sent sexually explicit images and videos of himself to the girl, and ask her to send similar photos of herself to him.
In court Wednesday, the lawyer, Robert Ricco, asked the judge to lower the $125,000 bail set on his client, who Ricco said has no criminal record.
“This is the first time he has been charged with a crime. He is not a flight risk. He is an upstanding citizen. He taught CCD at his church,” Ricco said of Valentino.
Union County Assistant Prosecutor Jason Gareis countered that $125,000 was in the middle of the range for bail on the sexual assault charge. He urged that the bail not be changed and that Ricco file a formal request for a bail reduction, and the judge agreed.
Ricco, when questioned outside of court, declined to comment on the case.
MORE UNION COUNTY NEWS
Tom Haydon may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
http://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/martial-arts-academy-owner-accused-of-sex-assault-1.9620555
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Martial arts academy owner accused of sex assault
November 15, 2014 11:26 AM
By The Associated Press
SPRINGFIELD, N.J. - (AP) -- Prosecutors say a part-owner of a northern New Jersey martial arts academy sexually assaulted a 13-year-old student there on multiple occasions.
George Mendoza-Valentino, of Saddle Brook, is charged with sexual assault and two counts child endangerment. His bail was set at $125,000, and the 27-year-old Mendoza-Valentino was ordered to surrender his passport and barred from contacting the alleged victim.
Union County prosecutors say Mendoza-Valentino met the victim when she enrolled at the academy in Springfield and sexually assaulted her there multiple times during the last month. They also say Mendoza-Valentino sent the victim sexually explicit images and videos and requested that she do the same.
It was not known Saturday if Mendoza-Valentine has retained a lawyer.
(link not active, page not found on original server: archive of article shown here below)
Martial arts academy owner accused of sex assault
November 15, 2014 11:26 AM
By The Associated Press
SPRINGFIELD, N.J. - (AP) -- Prosecutors say a part-owner of a northern New Jersey martial arts academy sexually assaulted a 13-year-old student there on multiple occasions.
George Mendoza-Valentino, of Saddle Brook, is charged with sexual assault and two counts child endangerment. His bail was set at $125,000, and the 27-year-old Mendoza-Valentino was ordered to surrender his passport and barred from contacting the alleged victim.
Union County prosecutors say Mendoza-Valentino met the victim when she enrolled at the academy in Springfield and sexually assaulted her there multiple times during the last month. They also say Mendoza-Valentino sent the victim sexually explicit images and videos and requested that she do the same.
It was not known Saturday if Mendoza-Valentine has retained a lawyer.