Trial proceedings begin for ex-teacher’s aide accused of lewd acts online

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) - Pretrial motions got underway today ahead of jury selection for the trial of an ex-instructional assistant for the Coachella Valley Unified School District accused of perpetrating lewd acts during online contact with a female student.

Edward Noel Alvarado Valadez, 31, of Coachella was arrested in 2019 following a Riverside County Sheriff's Office investigation.   

Valadez is charged with exhibiting harmful matter to a minor, penetration with a foreign object and annoying a child. He's free on a $10,000 bond.

The case was transferred Wednesday from the Larson Justice Center in Indio to the Banning Justice Center, where Superior Court Judge Jonathan Mendoza received motions from the prosecution and defense in preparation for jury selection, which was slated to begin Thursday.

According to a sheriff's arrest warrant declaration filed in December 2019, during the fall of that year, Valadez allegedly began a relationship with a 15-year-old girl, whom he contacted multiple times via social media.   

At the time, the defendant was employed as a substitute instructional aide at Coachella Valley High School in Thermal.   

The declaration alleged Valadez at one point called the victim, whose name was not disclosed, via Snapchat and proceeded to pleasure himself during the video call -- exposing everything to the youth.

Investigators alleged the defendant also tried to arrange personal meetings with the girl with the intent of smoking marijuana and engaging in sex acts.  

The victim became increasingly uncomfortable with the communications and finally went to campus administrators, divulging her experiences, according to court documents. Sheriff's detectives then began an investigation that resulted in charges.

On Dec. 5, 2019, Valadez was taken into custody without incident while he was working on the campus of Valle Del Sol Elementary School in Coachella. Afterward, he was dismissed from his CVUSD position. He had worked for the district about 10 months, according to officials.

Valadez has no documented prior felony convictions.