288(a): June 2008 Archives

Gregory Scott Serrano, 33, of Monrovia, entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment Friday in his child molestation and child pornograhpy case, according to officials from the district attorney's office:

PASADENA -- A Monrovia man suspected of luring 10 teenage girls via the Internet to molest them and take pornographic pictures of them appeared in court last week, officials said.
Gregory Scott Serrano, 33, entered a not guilty plea Friday at the Pasadena Superior Court, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office officials said.
Serrano is charged with 20 counts of child molestation stemming from the alleged molestations, which are believed to date back to June of 2006, said United Stated Attorney Joey Blanch, who is prosecuting the case.
The alleged victims are between 13 and 17 years old, Blanch said.
Serrano allegedly used social networking Web site such as MySpace.com and Netlog.com to meet the underage girls, Blanch said.
He was arrested March 12 after a 15-year-old girl told her parents that Serrano had molested her, officials said.
In addition to the local charges, Serrano has also been indicted federally on suspicion of 23 crimes including using the Internet to entice minors, producing and possessing child pornography and destroying evidence.
If convicted on the federal charges, Serrano could face life in prison, Blanch said.
Serrano is due back in court June 30 for a pre-trial conference, officials said.

El Monte police are investigation allegations that a custodian at a local elementaty school inappropriately touched a young girl in late April.

The unidientified custodian is now on paid administrative leave as police continue to investigate, according to school district officials.

Here's an excerpt from a story running in tommorrow's paper:

 EL MONTE -- A custodian at a local elementary school is currently on paid administrative leave as police investigate allegations that he inappropriately touched a student earlier this year, police and school district officials said.
The alleged incident occurred April 25 at La Primaria Elementary School, 4220 Gilman Road, said El Monte police Detective Ernie Cramer.
The name of the custodian, a man in his 60s, was not released, he said. He has not been arrested.
The investigation involves "inappropriate touching above the clothes," said Cramer.
A girl in the 3rd grade came forward and told school officials that the custodian had touched her inappropriately earlier in the day, Cramer said.
School officials immediately contacted the girl's parents and the El Monte Police Department, he said.
Mountain View School District Director of Special Projects Alan Morier said it's district procedure to place any employee being investigated by police on paid administrative leave.