Norwalk High track coach pleads no contest to sexual relationships with students

NORWALK -- A former assistant track coach pleaded no contest yesterday to having sexual relations with three teenage girls over a four-month period.
 
At Monday's court appearance, Johnny Arellano 26, of Norwalk pleaded no contest to three felony counts: one count of oral copulation of a person under 16 and two counts of oral copulation of a person under 18.  
 
He is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 21 at Norwalk Superior Court. Arellano is expected to be sentenced to three years in state prison and ordered to register as a lifetime sex offender.
 
Deputy District Attorney Michael DeRose of the Victim Impact Program, who prosecuted the case, said Arellano was the former assistant track coach at Norwalk High School.
 
Between June and October 2017, Arellano engaged in sexual acts with two female students, the prosecutor said. A concerned adult alerted authorities and he was taken into custody on Oct. 5, 2017, the prosecutor added.
 
After further investigation, law enforcement learned of a third teenage girl who was involved in a sexual relationship with Arellano between August and September 2017, according to the prosecutor.  
 
The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.