Five Sexual Assault Survivors Sue Riverside County School District for Employing Convicted Serial Sexual Abuser High School Teacher-Track Coach

Additional Victims of Joe Robles, Jr. Are Encouraged to Come Forward

LOS ANGELES, April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Former high school teacher, track and field coach, and cross-country running coach Joe Robles, Jr. – who is currently serving a four-year prison sentence after being convicted of multiple felony sex crimes – has been named in a civil action alleging that he sexually assaulted at least five children between the ages of 14 and 17 between 2014 and 2017, during the time Robles was employed at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Riverside County. The complaint also names Corona-Norco Unified School District for failing to protect the plaintiffs and other students as required by law, according to attorneys at Slater Slater Schulman LLP and Paul Mones, P.C.

"The effects of child sexual abuse are severe and long-lasting," said co-counsel James W. Lewis of Slater Slater Schulman LLP. "The brave young women who are part of this case have each suffered extreme emotional distress as a result of being abused by an adult placed in a position of authority by their school and school district. Joe Robles, Jr. had access to hundreds of children over the course of his ten-year employment. We are working to build a community of survivors who are taking the power back."

"Schools have a duty to protect the safety and welfare of students," said co-counsel Paul Mones. "Schools have a responsibility to not just properly and adequately supervise children delivered into their care by their parents, but as well a responsibility to adequately monitor teachers to ensure that they maintain appropriate and professional boundaries with students."

As detailed in the complaint, the grooming and sexual abuse occurred on a regular basis with numerous students. The  alleged grooming behavior included, but was not limited to: rubbing minor females' shoulders; holding their hips, kissing them on their heads and faces; touching them improperly during stretching; engaging in uncomfortably long hugs while rubbing female students' lower backs; asking students if they found him attractive; asking female students if they have thought about engaging in sexual activity with him; commenting sexually on female students' photos posted on social media; sending female students inappropriate text messages unrelated to school; exchanging nude photos with students; sending sexually harassing and sexually explicit messages to students, including through Snapchat and other social media platforms; telling female students he was having sexual thoughts about them; telling female students that he was interested in engaging in sexual conduct with them; using school computers to write sexual messages to students during academic class periods, and countless other similar inappropriate and illegal conduct. Much of the grooming behavior took place out in the open on school grounds or at school events, such as sports practices and meets, and was observed by school administrators, teachers, staff, and students. Robles, Jr. also used passes to pull female minor students out of other academic classes so that he could groom, manipulate, and sexually abuse them in his classroom.

The complaint notes that less than two years after Robles was criminally convicted of multiple felonies for sexually assaulting minor female students, a second teacher-coach at Eleanor Roosevelt High School was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting and abusing a male minor student. Amanda Quinonez, a former English-Language Arts teacher and swimming and water polo coach, worked with Robles, Jr. between 2016 and 2019.

If you were a student of Joe Robles, Jr. or a student-athlete on one of his teams, you are encouraged to call 310-341-2086 or email [email protected] or [email protected] to provide any information at all that you may have about Robles, Jr. Victims of child sexual abuse need to understand that the sexual abuse was not their fault. Many victims of child sexual abuse are forced to live with a lifetime of shame, embarrassment, and severe emotional distress and mental pain and suffering. Help is available.

NOTE: Individuals seeking to be linked to resources for sexual assault survivors can call 800.656.HOPE (4673) to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area. The National Sexual Assault Hotline operated by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) provides confidential support from trained staff members and can assist with finding local healthcare resources, help talk through what happened, and offer referrals for long-term support.

For Slater Slater Schulman LLP: 
Joan Vollero/Prosek Partners 
[email protected]

SOURCE Slater Slater Schulman LLP