JSerra Catholic H.S. teacher convicted of having sex with a 14-year old student

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 12HF0258: May 29, 2014

FORMER TEACHER CONVICTED OF UNLAWFUL SEX ACTS WITH 14-YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AFTER SNEAKING HER PAST ROOMMATES

SANTA ANA – A former JSerra Catholic High School (JSerra) teacher was convicted by a jury today of engaging in unlawful sex acts with a 14-year-old girl he met at the school. Ricardo Aldana, 40, was found guilty by a jury of three felony counts of lewd acts on a child. He faces a maximum sentence of four years and four months in state prison and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration at his sentencing on July 11, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-34, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

At the time of the crime, Aldana was a Spanish teacher and boys’ soccer coach at JSerra in San Juan Capistrano. He met 13-year-old Jane Doe while she was a student at the school. He befriended the victim and gained her trust.

In June 2011, after Jane Doe had turned 14 years old, Aldana inappropriately massaged Jane Doe’s shoulders over her clothes while they were alone in his classroom. He continued to groom the victim by frequently exchanging text messages and speaking with her on the phone.

In September 2011, Aldana picked up Jane Doe in his vehicle near her home while the victim’s mother was out of town. He drove the victim to his Dana Point residence and snuck her into his bedroom to avoid being seen by his roommates. Aldana engaged in substantial unlawful sex acts with Jane Doe. At approximately 4:00 a.m., Aldana dropped Jane Doe off at her home.

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.

During the trial, a prior victim testified that she had engaged in sexual intercourse with the defendant multiple times when she was 16 years old and the defendant was in his early twenties. The defendant was also heard in a recorded call with Jane Doe begging the victim not to discuss anything about the case.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Jana Hoffmann of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.

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Tony Rackauckas, District Attorney
401 Civic Center Drive West
Santa Ana, CA 92701

Contacts:

Susan Kang Schroeder
Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718

Farrah Emami
Spokesperson
Office: 714-347-8405
Cell: 714-323-4486

Art Pedroza Editor

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

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