By Thomas Chung and Brittany Snow

Staff Writers

   On March 6, Rosemead High School’s head track coach and substitute teacher Fidel Dominguez pleaded not guilty to having a sexual relationship with an underage student.

  According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, an 18-year-old woman approached authorities and reported that she participated in an on-and-off sexual relationship with Dominguez that began when she was 14. She told deputies that, when she was still in high school, he would pick her up on weekends and drive her to his home in La Puente, where they would engage in intercourse.

  “[Dominguez’ arrest] caught us all [by] surprise. Some people are blaming the victim, some claim that they knew Dominguez would do something like this, and some believe he’s not guilty,” said a Rosemead junior who wished to remain anonymous. “It’s chaos at our school.”

  Dominguez was charged with unlawful sexual intercourse, oral copulation of a person under 18, six counts of lewd act upon a child of 14 or 15, two counts of oral copulation of a person under 16, and two counts of dissuading a witness from prosecuting a crime, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

   “He was a very present substitute and it’s definitely nauseating to know now that I was around a pedophile so often,” said a Rosemead senior who wished to remain anonymous. “It’s sickening to learn about, but I know that many on the [Track and Field] team are hurting because of it, probably feeling betrayed by someone they had a close bond with. […] I hope that Coach Dominguez gets what he deserves.”

  In a statement to CBS2, El Monte Union High School District (EMUHD) Superintendent Edward Zuniga said, “[Dominguez] is no longer allowed on campus,” and mentioned that “All processes and protocols were followed prior to him commencing work.”

  However, on March 7, a Los Angeles jury ordered the school district to pay $2 million for failing to take decisive action in preventing Richard Paul Daniels, another EMUHD employee, from grooming and having sex with a student in 2015. The Los Angeles Times reported that Daniels had a previous conviction for inappropriate interactions with high school girls, pleading guilty in 2005 to one count of battery after originally being charged with one count of a lewd act on a child and three counts of misdemeanor child annoying or molestation.

  Dominguez currently remains jailed, with a bail amount set to $400,000. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 4.