Crime & Safety
JSerra Teacher Arrested, Fired, in Alleged Molestation
Ricardo Aldana, who taught Spanish and coached volleyball and soccer, is free after posting $100,000 bail. Students react.
A teacher at JSerra Catholic School has been arrested on suspicion of molesting a former student, officials with the Orange County Sheriff's Department said today.
Ricardo Aldana, a Spanish teacher, coach of the girls' junior varsity volleyball team and assistant coach of the boys' soccer team, was taken into custody Wednesday evening. Aldana also coaches a private club in Irvine called Tstreet Volleyball, but his name has since been removed from the coaching staff.
"He is accused of having sex with a former student," said Jim Amormino, spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department. "All I can say about her identity is that she is a female, 14 years or younger."
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Aldana, 37, allegedly had sex with the girl at his Dana Point home, he added.
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"The young girl told her mother what had happened. Her mother then contacted the Sheriff's Department," Amormino said.
School officials reported today they have fired the teacher, and Aldana is also no longer listed at JSerra’s website.
The school issued a statement today:
“We are outraged and sickened by these disturbing allegations, and are cooperating fully with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
We strongly encourage anybody in the JSerra community with information that might aid the investigation to contact the Sheriff’s Department immediately.
After learning about the facts surrounding the arrest this morning, we immediately terminated Mr. Aldana.
JSerra does not tolerate inappropriate conduct between faculty/staff and minors, and we will continue to forcefully enforce our policy.”
He was released from jail Thursday after posting $100,000 bail, according to City News Service. More charges might be added.
Teachers and administrators did not inform students of the arrest, but they found out via the Internet, said one freshman.
One boy, who said he had "Sr. Aldana" for Spanish I, called him "a really good guy" and added, "I don't think he would even do anything like that."
Another boy said Aldana was a good teacher and, upon hearing the school had already fired him, said: "That's intense."
Both boys said they had never seen Aldana be flirtatious with girls. The first boy said, "All the volleyball girls said they didn't believe the story at all."
