Ex-Granite Hills High teacher convicted of sex charges involving student

EL CAJON, Calif. (CNS) – A former Granite Hills High School teacher arrested on sexual misconduct charges involving an underage former female student was convicted of felony charges.

Gerald Lopez, 56, who taught English and coached sports at the East County school, was arrested by El Cajon police in 2022 after the mother of the then 17-year-old victim discovered a series of text messages between her daughter and Lopez .

Lopez was convicted by an El Cajon jury last week of possession of child pornography and harassing or molesting a child.

The same jury acquitted Lopez of more than a dozen other charges and hung five counts of sending harmful material to a minor. Superior Court Judge John Thompson dismissed the remaining five charges on Tuesday.

Lopez, who remains free on $70,000 bail, faces up to three years in prison if convicted, which is currently scheduled for next month.

Deputy District Attorney Josh Brisbane told jurors that Lopez exchanged sexually motivated text messages and photos with the girl over the course of several months, while Lopez’s attorney, Robert Boyce, argued that his client had no intention of having anything with the girl to pursue until she turned around. 18.

After the girl’s mother discovered the text messages, she reported them to the school. Lopez was initially placed on unpaid leave, but school district officials announced in August 2022 that he no longer worked for the district.

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