LAUSD Teacher's Aide Charged With Sexually Molesting 2 Former Students
NORTHRIDGE (CBSLA.com) — Police sought the public's help Tuesday to identify possible victims of a Los Angeles Unified School District employee who has been charged with sexually abusing two boys over a six year period.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, Joaquin Diaz Orgaz, 44, was charged Friday with two counts of continuous sexual abuse and one count of kidnapping for child molesting.
Orgaz entered a not guilty plea and is scheduled to return to the North Valley Superior Court in San Fernando on June 28.
He is currently being held in lieu of $3 million bail and faces a possible maximum sentence of multiple life terms in state prison if convicted as charged.
According to the district attorney's office, Orgaz is accused of sexually abusing one of the victims, who is now 19-years-old, from Sept. 1, 2009, to Dec. 2, 2014.
The second victim, who is now 11-years-old, was abused from July 1, 2015, to May 20 of this year.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Orgaz allegedly engaged in the inappropriate relationships while he acted as a private tutor outside of his employment with the school district.
Since December 2011, he has been employed as a special education assistant at Sunny Brae Elementary School.
He previously worked at Valley View Elementary School, Portola Middle School and Woodland Hills Academy.
As a result of the investigation, Orgaz has been placed on administrative leave from Sunny Brae Elementary School.
Police will not clarify which schools the victims attended or if the misconduct took place on school grounds.
In response to the case, LAUSD Superintendent Michelle King released a written statement that reads in part: "L.A. Unified has worked diligently to provide a secure environment for all students to learn and succeeed. However, a small number of individuals have acted in gross violation of the district's commitment to keep our children safe. Ultimately, we want to reassure our families that we will remain vigilant in protecting our kids from those who would do them harm."
Parents whose children may have had contact with Orgaz are been urged to confirm that the contact was appropriate.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information pertaining to Orgaz has been urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department's Devonshire Sexual Assault Bureau at (818) 832-0609.