Armando Lee-Martinez, the Mancos teacher accused last year of sexually assaulting a student and tampering with evidence, has pleaded not guilty.
In a Tuesday arraignment, Judge Todd Plewe scheduled a seven-day jury trial beginning July 25.
Defense attorney David Greenberg entered the not guilty plea for Lee-Martinez.
Lee-Martinez, 28 at the time of his arrest in May, is scheduled for a readiness hearing June 21.
He is being tried in three separate cases. The combined charges are as follows:
- Sex assault of a child in a position of trust with pattern of abuse, a Class 3 felony.
- Sexual exploitation of children, a Class 3 felony.
- Sex assault on a child by one in a position of trust, a Class 4 felony.
- Tampering with physical evidence, a Class 6 felony.
- Violation of bail bond conditions, a Class 6 felony.
- Violation of protection order, a Class 1 misdemeanor.
- Violation of bail bond, a Class 6 felony.
- Violation of a protection order, a Class 1 misdemeanor.
If he were convicted, Lee-Martinez could face four to 12 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections, 22nd Judicial District Attorney Matt Margeson said. However, because of the nature of the case, Lee-Martinez could instead be sentenced to an indeterminate amount of time.
Margeson was unable to specify how Lee-Martinez violated his protection order and bail bond conditions.
A May news release from Mancos Marshal Justen Goodall cited an allegation of a “teacher and student relationship.” The Mancos Marshal’s Office began an investigation April 14.
Lee-Martinez, a graduate of Mancos High School, was in his first year as the high school’s Spanish teacher. He had previous teaching experience.
In initial court proceedings last year, Margeson argued that Lee-Martinez’s bond be set at $50,000, although Lee-Martinez was released on a $20,000 bond set by county Court Judge JenniLynn Lawrence.
Lee-Martinez was prohibited from contact with anyone under the age of 18 not in his immediate family, and from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
A protection order was granted for an individual mentioned in the arrest affidavit. Behavior listed in the arrest affidavit as it related to that individual was “concerning,” Margeson told The Journal in May.
