Teacher charged with molestation

Dave Brooks

A Marina High School music teacher has been accused of allegedly

molesting six female students.

Victor Rodriguez, 49, of Huntington Beach, faces two counts of a

lewd act upon a child and four counts of child annoyance, according

to the Orange County District Attorney’s office.

Rodriguez is accused of sexually assaulting six girls between the

ages of 14 and 17 during one-on-one singing lessons at the school. If

convicted on all counts, Rodriguez would be sentenced to up to three

years and eight months in state prison and would have to register as

a sex offender.

Authorities allege the molestations took place from February 2003

to December 2004 in the high school’s music room. In each case, he is

accused of bringing the student into a closed room to assess her

voice, allegedly putting his hands under her shirt to show the

location of her diaphragm.

The District Attorney’s office alleges that school administration

officials learned about at least one of the incidents, formally

warned Rodriguez in March of 2003 for using the so-called diaphragm

technique and instructed him to never use it again.

Later in 2004, another student reported being inappropriately

touched by Rodriguez.

“Then you have a snowball effect,” said Senior Deputy District

Atty. Dan Hess. “Once one girl came forward, other girls began to

come forward.”

Rodriguez taught jazz ensemble, musicianship and marching band,

according to the Marina High School website. He is married, with two

children. School officials were not available for comment Wednesday.

Hess said that Rodriguez had been suspended from teaching at the high

school.

Besides working at Marina High School, he has also volunteered at

St. Bonaventure Church in Huntington Beach.

Rodriguez was released after posting $50,000 bail. His arraignment

was postponed till July 15 at the West Justice Center in Westminster.