Volleyball coach suspected of molesting teens on team

SANTA ANA, Calif. (FOX 11/CNS) - A high school volleyball coach and security guard for the Santa Ana Unified School District's police force was charged Tuesday with having sex with teenage girls on his team.

Omar Rojas, 28, of Santa Ana, was arrested Friday evening after one of the alleged victims came forward to police, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.

Rojas was charged with four counts of oral copulation of a minor, sexual penetration by a foreign object of a minor, five counts of unlawful sex with a minor three years younger than the perpetrator, and a count of statutory rape, all felonies. He was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.

Rojas is accused of having sexual activity with two 17-year-old girls and a 15-year-old girl who were on the volleyball team at Century High School in 2015, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.

Another potential alleged victim was speaking with police Tuesday, Bertagna said, adding that police were in the process of contacting students who were on subsequent squads.

"He would have the victims excused from class to meet them to engage in sexual activity on campus during school,'' Bertagna alleged.

Rojas, who's being held in lieu of $1 million bail, was not yet a school safety officer at the time of the alleged crimes, Bertagna said.

Rojas worked as a District Safety Officer at Sierra Preparatory Academy, according to the Santa Ana Unified School District.

"These allegations are being taken seriously and are in direct conflict of the district's zero-tolerance policy relating to staff misconduct, in which all district employees are held at the highest ethical standards,'' according to a statement from the district. ``In the days and weeks ahead, we will work closely with the Santa Ana Police Department on this investigation.''

Counseling will be provided at both schools, officials said.

Anyone with information about the case was asked to call Detective Nick Vega at (714) 245-8368, or email nvega@santa-ana.org. Orange County Crime Stoppers will accept anonymous tips at (855) TIP-OCCS.

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