Ex-South Pasadena coach charged with sexual battery of student

A former South Pasadena High School track coach has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual battery and child molestation of a student, officials said Wednesday.

Pierre Jonas Hernandez, 32, of South Pasadena, is charged with four misdemeanor counts -- three for sexual battery and one for child molestation, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. He entered his plea Tuesday.

Authorities began investigating Hernandez in May, when they were notified that Hernandez may have inappropriately touched a female student the previous month, prosecutors said.

According to Hernandez’s profile on the high school alumni page, he graduated in 2001 and said he served in the U.S. Navy.

He described his occupation as a high school track coach and “beast.” Hernandez also wrote he can “boss around children, tell unfunny jokes and grow weird facial hair.” The profile was last updated in 2009.

Hernandez faces jail and lifetime sex offender registration if convicted of the charges. He is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 23 in Alhambra for a pretrial hearing.

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