An Elmhurst man who acted as a tae kwon do instructor at a Corona martial arts studio was charged with sexually abusing and forcibly touching four of his female students, according to District Attorney Richard A. Brown.
Lorenzo Ramos, 26, inappropriately touched two 12-year-old and two 14-year-old students at United Tae Kwon Do at 97-12 Roosevelt Ave. In several instances, Ramos picked the girls up, grabbed their breasts and squeezed the girls’ butts.
He also reportedly rubbed his penis against a 12-year-old’s vagina and rubbed his hand up and down the body of a 14-year-old.
“As a martial arts instructor the defendant was supposed to train his students to protect themselves from unwanted advances,” Brown said. “Instead he is accused of taking advantage of his teaching position to touch his students in inappropriate ways.”
Ramos also allegedly provided money to three of the victims and told one of the 14-year-old victims, “Don’t say anything because both of us will be killed.”
According to Brown, the victims were discussing the incidents at the martial arts studio when the owners overheard and spoke with them. Ramos was fired shortly after one of the victims told her mother. The parent alerted the police.
Ramos was charged with three counts of first-degree sexual abuse, one count of first-degree attempted sexual abuse, eight counts of forcible touching, two counts of second-degree sexual abuse, three counts of third-degree sexual abuse, four counts of endangering the welfare of a child and three counts of second-degree harassment.
He was held on $31,000 bail and is scheduled to return to court on April 1. If convicted, Ramos faces up to seven years in prison and would be required to register as a sex offender with the state.
