March 15, 2016 Staff Report
A former taekwondo instructor faces prison on sexual abuse and forcible touching charges after allegedly preying on his students.
Lorenzo Ramos, 26, allegedly violated two 12-year-old and two 14-year-old girls while working as an instructor at United Tae Kwon Do, located at 97-12 Roosevelt Ave., according to the Queens District Attorney’s office.
Ramos would approach his four female victims individually and touch them in an inappropriate manner, such as hugging them, picking them up, grabbing their breasts and squeezing their buttocks, according to the District Attorney’s office.
In one instance, it is alleged that he rubbed his penis against the vagina of one of the 12-year-old victims over her clothing, and, in another, he rubbed his hand up and down the side of the body of a 14-year-old victim.
Ramos also allegedly offered or provided money to three of the girls and, in one instance stated, “don’t say anything because both of us will be killed,” according to the District Attorney’s office.
The incidents occurred between last May and February.
The matter came to light when the victims voiced concern among themselves and the owners of the martial arts studio spoke with them. When Ramos was terminated one of the victims told her mother, who alerted the police.
Ramos was arraigned earlier this month on criminal charges stemming from allegations regarding one of the girls, and was arraigned on Friday on a complaint regarding the other three.
“These are serious allegations. As a martial arts instructor the defendant was supposed to train his students to protect themselves from unwanted advances,” District Attorney Richard Brown said. “Instead he is accused of taking advantage of his teaching position to touch his students in inappropriate ways.”
Ramos, an Elmhurst native, is charged with three counts of first-degree sexual abuse, one count of first degree attempted sexual abuse, eight counts of forcible touching, two counts of second-degree sexual abuse, three counts of third-degree sexual abuse, four counts of endangering the welfare of a child and three counts of second-degree harassment.
If convicted, Ramos faces up to seven years in prison and would be required to register as a sex offender with the State. He was held on a total of $31,000 bail and ordered to return to court on April 1.
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Creepy bastard