Testimony is wrapping up at the Banning Justice Center in the case of a former Coachella substitute teacher accused of committing lewd acts online and a separate sexual assault, with both sides expected to rest early next week before closing arguments. The defendant, 31-year-old Edward Noel Alvarado Valadez, remains out of custody on a $10,000 bond while jurors get closer to weighing his fate.
Testimony began Tuesday, with prosecutors laying out their version of two incidents that span from 2019 to 2021. According to court filings, the case centers on a predawn Snapchat video call with a student and, later, a sexual-assault allegation involving his brother’s girlfriend. Those details track with accounts reported by MyNewsLA.
Allegations From The 2019 Snapchat Call
Prosecutors say the trouble started on Dec. 1, 2019, when Valadez allegedly contacted a female student on social media and placed a Snapchat video call in the early morning hours. According to the prosecution’s account, the student answered and soon became uncomfortable as Valadez allegedly exposed himself and used a penis-pump tube while on camera.
The student ended the call, but prosecutors say the incident did not stop there. Court papers state that the next morning Valadez messaged her asking if she was “impressed about ‘last night.’” A recorded pretext call with the girl later led detectives to obtain a search warrant; they say they seized the penis pump from a dresser in his residence on Dec. 5, 2019, as outlined in reporting by MyNewsLA.
Investigators arrested Valadez that same day at Valle Del Sol Elementary. He was then suspended and ultimately dismissed from his substitute position with the Coachella Valley Unified School District, according to coverage from KESQ.
2021 Sexual-Assault Allegation
While he was awaiting trial on the lewd-acts allegation, prosecutors say a second incident unfolded on March 20, 2021, involving his brother’s girlfriend, identified in court filings as G.A.
According to the prosecution’s trial brief, Valadez and G.A. drank and played video games into the early morning hours. As she became inebriated, Valadez allegedly kissed her neck, grabbed her breast and penetrated her with his fingers. The filing says she later awoke disrobed from the waist down and went to law enforcement to report what had happened. Those accusations are detailed in the prosecution’s filings and reflected in coverage by MyNewsLA.
Charges, Bond And Court Schedule
Valadez is facing three charges: exhibiting harmful matter to a minor, sexual penetration with a foreign object and annoying a child. Local reporting notes that he has no documented prior felony convictions and that he has remained free on a $10,000 bond during the proceedings, as reported by KESQ.
Jury selection and testimony have been underway at the Banning Justice Center, and attorneys are expected to rest their cases early next week before delivering closing arguments to the panel, according to courtroom coverage summarized by KESQ.
What Happens Next
Once both sides formally rest, the judge will consider any final motions, then turn the case over to the attorneys for closing arguments. After that, the jury will begin deliberations on the charges. We will continue to track court filings and local reporting for updates on the schedule and any official statements from the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
