By Emily Dubinsky
Staff Writer
Timothy Lucas, a former Manhattan Beach Middle School instructional assistant and basketball coach, remains in custody after Hermosa Police Beach Department detectives Dean Garkow and Jonathan Cruz arrested and charged him on June 4 for forcible rape and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor in a Hermosa Beach residence.
Prosecutors charged Lucas with six felonies including two counts of forcible rape three counts of lewd acts upon a child and a single count of sexual penetration by a foreign object. Judge Thomas Sokolov ordered Lucas to be held in jail on $500,000 bail until his January court hearing in Los Angeles. No new charges have been added to the case nor have any charges been reduced or dropped since his arrest.
“Details of the alleged rape are still being withheld due to the victim being a juvenile,” Hermosa Beach Police Department Sergeant Robert Higgins said. “The Hermosa Beach Police Department asks that the media respect the juvenile sexual assault victim’s anonymity when reporting on the incident.”
According to Higgins, Lucas will have pre-trial hearings within the next couple of months for his felonies. Lucas is currently in custody at Los Angeles County Men’s Central Jail in Downtown LA while he awaits his court date early next year.
“It is not abnormal for pre-trial dates to take this long, and while waiting the suspect is held in custody,” Higgins said.
Lucas’ former attorney, Ambrosio Rodriguez, stated Lucas denies all allegations against him and claims that they are false. According to Higgins, the charges against Lucas are very serious, and if convicted he will be spending up to 32 years in jail and be required to register as a sex offender. The jury trial is expected to take place after the first of the year and will determine his prison sentence.
“He is looking forward to fighting in court and getting his life back,” Rodriguez said.
Lucas worked at Torrance West High School, Bishop Montgomery High School, Mira Costa High School and Manhattan Beach Middle School. According to Manhattan Beach Unified School District superintendent Dr. Michael Matthews all employees hired to work in Manhattan Beach schools and at other districts must first undergo a background check that includes having their fingerprints run through FBI and State Department of Justice databases.
“Based on the outcome of the investigation, the district will take any and all necessary actions in accordance the law,” Matthews said. “The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority.”
Lucas was arrested and removed from the Manhattan Beach Middle School campus by police. He was then immediately placed on administrative leave pending the police investigation and his involvement.
“We notified all parents via email to inform them of the incident,” Jackson said. “I have not received any questions or complaints about the investigation as of yet.”
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