A walk-on assistant football coach with Mar Vista High School has been arrested on suspicion of engaging in an ongoing sexual relationship with a freshman, a day after news broke of the arrest of a NJROTC instructor at the same school on similar allegations.
Edward Aaron Mendoza, 27, is accused of having an "ongoing inappropriate relationship" with a 9th grade student, San Diego County Sheriff’s officials said Tuesday.
"Detectives discovered Mendoza had fostered an ongoing relationship with the victim and engaged in sexual activity with her at school over a period of about six months," the department said in a statement.
The relationship came to light when the victim's father learned his daughter was talking to Mendoza on the phone for long periods of time.
Mendoza was arrested at 2:30 p.m. outside his workplace in the City of Chula Vista, San Diego Sheriff's officials said. Child Abuse Detectives filed multiple counts of child molestation against Mendoza.
Three days earlier, Martin Albert Gallegos, 48, a Navy Junior ROTC instructor at the Imperial Beach high school, was arrested. Gallegos was booked into San Diego Central Jail on five counts of sexual conduct with a minor, deputies said.
Authorities said there does not appear to be a nexus in that arrest and Tuesday's arrest.
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Investigators said that relationship had allegedly been going on for months and did not include intercourse.
A Sheriff’s School Resource Officer received a tip Friday that a teacher at the high school was in a relationship with a female student. That information led deputies to Gallegos.
District officials said Gallegos was a first-year substitute in the district. When district officials learned of his arrest, Gallegos was fired.
Mendoza will be booked into the San Diego Central Jail.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Sheriff's Child Abuse Unit at 858-974-2310. If you wish to remain anonymous call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 with information. You may be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to a felony arrest.
