The trial of Yuniesky Ramirez-Martinez, a former athletic coach and security monitor at Downtown Doral Charter Upper School, began in Miami-Dade with the 39-year-old facing multiple charges; allegations against him include the filming of two students having sex and coercing a student into a sexual relationship, as reported by Local 10.
According to the prosecution in opening statements the defendant allegedly lured a male and female student into performing sexual acts in a classroom outfitted with a two-way mirror, where Ramirez-Martinez recorded the encounter unbeknownst to the students, despite the defense claiming the accused was merely checking on the students' welfare after a breakup; however, security cameras supposedly show him engaging with his phone seemingly to ensure no physical altercation was occurring, a story that just doesn't add up, the prosecutor argued, as described by NBC Miami.
The state's case further involves claims that Ramirez-Martinez harassed a 17-year-old student following the Valentine's Day incident, at one point allegedly pulling her from class to threaten her with the video as blackmail to comply with his sexual demands; this version of events was supported by an audio recording of the student's interview with police, which the jury listened to, telling NBC Miami that Ramirez-Martinez said, "And he was like, 'yeah, I saw what you were doing to him and I liked it,'" the student recounted, adding "Oh, well then he told me that to think about the offer that he was giving me about the experience, and I told him 'I don't have anything to think about, I don't want to do anything with you.'"
The defense challenges this narrative citing a lack of video evidence to back the claims and questioned the thoroughness of the police investigation during the officer's testimony who interviewed the teen, they also refuted the harassment allegations, asserting that they're built on shaky foundations; Ramirez-Martinez stands charged with serious offenses, including promoting sexual performance by a child and offenses against students by authority figures, according to NBC Miami.
After learning of the allegations in 2023, school officials at Downtown Doral Charter Upper School immediately reported the matter to Doral Police, leading to Ramirez-Martinez's arrest and subsequent termination from his position at the school, Ramirez-Martinez, who had been employed as a part-time security monitor and athletic coach, has not been on school grounds since the report, as stated by the school principal in a statement obtained by NBC Miami.
