VISTA — An employee at an Encinitas middle school was denied bail in Vista Superior Court on Wednesday after being arrested on multiple charges involving two 12-year-old students, one of whom he allegedly sexually assaulted.
Omar Hernandez Galeana, 21, a campus supervisor at Diegueño Middle School, was arrested earlier this week after allegedly meeting with a 12-year-old female student last weekend and sexually assaulting her at an off-campus location.
Along with multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and forcible lewd acts upon a child, his nine total charges also included furnishing cannabis to a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Galeana pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Deputy District Attorney Nereida Bowman, who is prosecuting the case, urged Judge Francisco Sanchez to deny bail for Galeana due to the nature of the crimes, his being a flight risk, and his communication with multiple minors.
Bowman claimed that Galeana was in contact with multiple students via text message, asking them to delete their messages so he would not get in trouble. He was “friendly” with many students at the school and was someone that “they knew well,” she said.
“The people have serious concerns with regards to this defendant, and the safety of not only the victims in this case, but other potential victims that attend this middle school,” Bowman said.
The District Attorney’s Office is continuing to investigate whether there are other victims, and if he previously worked at any other local schools. Officials in the San Dieguito Union High School District, where Diegueño Middle is located, said Galeana had worked in the district as a campus supervisor for three months.
Sanchez also granted two criminal protective orders against Galeana, prohibiting him from contacting the two minors.
A readiness hearing in the case has been scheduled for April 23.
