Former JSerra Teacher Accused of Having Sex with Student Faces Trial Wednesday

After numerous delays, the sexual molestation case against a former JSerra Catholic High School teacher is scheduled to begin Wednesday.

Ricardo Aldana, a former Spanish teacher and soccer coach at JSerra, was arrested in December 2011 on suspicion of driving a student to his home in Dana Point, slipping her past unaware roommates and committing unlawful sex acts.

He is facing seven felony counts of lewd acts on a child. If convicted, Aldana faces seven years in prison.

Now 40, Aldana is accused befriending a 13-year-old student – referred to as Jane Doe to protect her identity – at the school to gain her trust, according to an Orange County District Attorney’s office press release.

When she turned 14, “Aldana is accused of inappropriately massaging Jane Doe’s shoulders over her clothes while they were alone in his classroom. He is accused of continuing to groom the victim by frequently exchanging text messages and speaking with her on the phone,” the press release states.

Prosecutors allege that in September 2011, Aldana picked up Jane Doe near her home while her mother was out of town. He then allegedly brought her to his Dana Point home, sneaking her into his bedroom so that his roommates wouldn’t notice, officials said.

It is there that “substantial unlawful sex acts” occurred, prosecutors allege.

Aldana then reportedly dropped her off back her house at 4 a.m., the D.A.’s press release states.

“The Orange County Sheriff’s Department began investigating this case after an out-of-state honors academic camp instructor became suspicious after overhearing statements by the victim to other students,” the statement says.