Adult-education teacher accused of sexually assaulting child pleads not guilty

An adult-education teacher for the Coachella Valley Unified School District was arraigned today on charges of sexually assaulting a child over a four-year period.

Luis Alfonso Martinez, 42, was arrested last Thursday in La Quinta and charged with two felony counts of oral copulation or sexual penetration of a child under 10; two felony counts of a lewd act with a child under 14 with force; and one felony count of committing three or more lewd acts with a child under 14, according to court records.

The felony complaint filed against Martinez indicates the alleged assaults occurred between October 2010 and October 2014.

Martinez pleaded not guilty to the charges and is due back at the Larson Justice Center in Indio on Aug. 31 for a felony settlement conference.

He is being held at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on $1 million bail.

Lissette Santiago, a CVUSD representative, previously confirmed Martinez was an adult-education teacher for the school district who was arrested on suspicion of "lewd acts with a child, not involving his employment."