Advertisement

Former Burroughs High coach faces charges of unlawful sex with minor, child pornography

Jose Banuelos Jr., who was hired as a baseball coach at John Burroughs High School in February of 2012, no longer works for the district, said Burbank Unified Supt. Matt Hill.

Jose Banuelos Jr., who was hired as a baseball coach at John Burroughs High School in February of 2012, no longer works for the district, said Burbank Unified Supt. Matt Hill.

(Roger Wilson / Staff Photographer)
Share

A former assistant boys baseball coach at John Burroughs High School was charged Tuesday with having an ongoing sexual relationship with a student for more than two years, starting when the girl was 15 years old, officials said.

Burbank resident Jose Banuelos Jr., 28, who city officials said works part-time as a recreation supervisor for the city’s parks and recreation department, began the relationship in June of 2013, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

NEWSLETTER: Stay up to date with what’s going on in your neighborhood >>

The student’s family called police last Thursday evening, after which the victim told officers of her ongoing “consensual” relationship, according to Burbank Police Sgt. Claudio Losacco. Prosecutors said the relationship lasted through February.

Banuelos, who was convicted in 2012 of driving under the influence of alcohol, was charged with two felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, as well as one felony count each of oral copulation of a person under 16, oral copulation of a person under 18, sexual penetration by a foreign object and possession of child pornography.

He was also charged with one misdemeanor count of possessing a concealed firearm, as he reportedly had a loaded gun on him when he was arrested last week in the parking lot of Ralphs grocery store, located at 2600 W. Victory Blvd.

Follow us on Facebook >>

Banuelos, who was hired as a baseball coach in February of 2012, no longer works for the district, said Burbank Unified Supt. Matt Hill.

From January of 2009 to February 2010, Banuelos worked for the city as a police cadet. He was hired back last September as a recreation leader, a role that would require him to report to city league sports games to make sure they ran smoothly, said city spokesman Drew Sugars.

Banuelos is being held in lieu of $750,000 bail and is slated to be arraigned on Wednesday.

If convicted, he faces more than seven years in state prison.

School district and city officials said this week that all coaches and employees are required to submit to a Live Scan fingerprinting background check.

This marks the fourth arrest over the last year in which Burbank Unified workers, including one substitute teacher, have had or attempted to have unlawful relationships with minors.

“I will be reviewing our policies and practices to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect our students,” Hill said.

In January, a former Burbank High School varsity girls volleyball coach was sentenced to 90 days in jail after pleading no contest to having a sexual relationship with a former student six years ago.

Last month, a former Burroughs employee was sentenced to a year in jail after he was convicted of having sex with a minor.

Meanwhile, a former Burroughs substitute teacher was arrested last year after allegedly soliciting an undercover police officer posing as a 13-year-old girl online. The case remains ongoing.

Alene Tchekmedyian, alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @atchek

--

ALSO:

Mechanical issues forces police helicopter to land at Montrose Community Park

Bullet train revision would send railway underground from Palmdale to Burbank

Burbank-based nonprofit seeks to help local children in need of surgery

Advertisement