Mar Vista ROTC Instructor Waives Right to Preliminary Hearing

Martin Albert Gallegos, 48, is accused of having sex with a 17-year old female student

A Navy Junior ROTC instructor at Mar Vista High School accused of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year old female student waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Monday.

Martin Albert Gallegos, 48, agreed to be bound over for the trial.

Gallegos was arrested on April 9 after a Sheriff’s School Resource Officer received information that a teacher at the school was in a relationship with a female student.

He was also a first-year substitute teacher and was fired after his arrest.

Sweetwater Union High School District officials said they were surprised at the allegations because Gallegos had passed all background checks before he was hired.  

But a school district employee to NBC 7, Mar Vista High School did not run background checks on volunteers. 

The school district could not or would not provide documentation to show otherwise.

Weeks after Gallegos' arrest, a 27-year old football coach at Mar Vista High School accused of lewd acts with a 13-year old student on school property was arrested. A 20-year old tutor was also arrested on sex crime charges.

Gallegos has posted bail and is scheduled to be court for a readiness hearing on August 16.

He is charged with sexual penetration by a foreign object and oral copulation of a person under 18.

If convicted, he faces nearly four years in prison.

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