Instructor Denies Molestation Charges

An ROTC instructor pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges that he had sex with a 17-year-old girl enrolled in his Redondo Union High School program.

Retired Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Allen Roth, 64, entered his plea during a South Bay Municipal Court arraignment on seven felony charges, including one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, one count of lewd conduct with a minor and five counts of oral copulation with a minor.

He was ordered to return to court Feb. 5 for a preliminary hearing.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Ron Geltz said Roth would face as much as seven years in state prison if convicted on all counts.

Roth was arrested in December after the girl told school officials that Roth had been molesting her since she was 14 years old.

Roth, who is on unpaid leave from the school district, is free on $30,000 bail.

Tony Capozzola, Roth’s attorney, has said he believes that the girl fabricated the story of sexual abuse in order to file suit against the district. The girl and her family have filed a $10-million claim for damages.