SAN ANTONIO — A former South San ISD coach has been formally indicted on child sexual assault charges stemming from allegations that he groomed and later assaulted a young student in 2022.
Alejandro Peña was arrested in early June after police said a female student reported the alleged assault to a district officer. The report stated that the child victim exchanged phone numbers with Peña and that the two began to communicate via Instagram before they eventually began engaging in sex acts in his office during the school day.
The victim's father told police the communication started in August 2022. He also said that he received a call from Peña on May 30 in which he "apologized for what he did."
The affidavit states that the victim suffered a bruise on her back as a result of a sexual assault by Peña, and that law enforcement observed that bruise.
The affidavit also says that authorities used an alternative light source to search Peña's office, and found stains consistent with bodily fluids near his desk. Tests on those stains came back positive for "the probable presence of human semen."
"Our office takes sexual assault very seriously, especially when the victim is a child," said Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said in a statement. "It is particularly shocking and upsetting to see a coach charged with teaching and protecting our children now charged with sexually assaulting one of them."
Peña, 32, faces between two and 20 years in prison if convicted. South San ISD officials previously told KENS 5 he was "no longer an employee" following his arrest on June 3.