Photo of Luis Alberto Pineda>>>
SANTA ANA – A youth sports coach was sentenced today to 13 years and six months plus an additional 285 years to life in state prison for sexually assaulting 11 of his students, whom he met through his coaching jobs.
Luis Alberto Pineda, 31, Anaheim, was found guilty by a jury Nov. 5, 2012, of 17 felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14, two felony counts each of sodomy by force, sodomy of a person under the age of 16, oral copulation of a minor under 16, lewd acts upon a child, one felony count each of oral copulation or sexual penetration with a child 10 years old or younger and attempted lewd act upon a child under the age of 14 and three misdemeanor counts of simple assault and sentencing allegations for substantial sexual conduct with a child and committing lewd acts on multiple victims
Between 2005 and 2010, Pineda was a martial arts assistant instructor at Moo Yea Do Martial Arts in Fullerton and was also a soccer coach for the North Orange County Youth Soccer Premier League. Pineda met his victims through these coaching jobs and, during that time, Pineda befriended the parents of the victims and arranged to watch over the students after practices or games.
Pineda molested 10 boys and one girl after practices, games, or while taking them out to go to the movies or have dinner. Pineda sodomized and orally copulated a 14-year-old male student outside a Fullerton business while taking him home after karate practice. Pineda forcibly sodomized an 11-year-old male student while driving him home from soccer practice. On several occasions, Pineda fondled and masturbated his victims over and under their clothes. On one occasion between Dec. 25, 2007, and Dec. 24, 2008, Pineda sexually touched 9-year-old Jane Doe between her legs and put his hands down the inside of her shirt and pants.
The sexual assaults were initially reported to the Fullerton Police Department and then transferred to the Anaheim Police Department, who investigated the case.
During the sentencing today, two of the victims and one mother gave impact statements to the court. The mother said that her son continues to suffer emotionally from the damage Pineda caused and that Pineda betrayed her and the families of all of his victims. The Honorable Richard King, who sentenced the defendant to the maximum sentence, said, “Rats don’t do this to their children. Vultures don’t do this to their children.”
If he were ever to be released, Pineda’s lifetime sex offender registration bars him from entering County recreational areas and City parks which have passed the Sex Offender Ordinance. Visit www.orangecountyda.com to read the press releases on the County’s Sex Offender Ordinance as well as 15 other cities that have enacted the Child Safety Zone Ordinance.
Deputy District Attorney Cynthia Nichols of the Sexual Assault Unit prosecuted this case.