North County teacher arrested on sex charge

ESCONDIDO (CNS) – An Escondido teacher was arrested Friday on suspicion of sexual contact with an underage student, police said.

Mario Humerez, 35, a teacher at Valley High School, was booked into Vista Detention Facility on suspicion of one count of oral copulation of a minor and one count of sexual penetration of a minor, said Escondido police Lt. Christopher K. Wynn.

The investigation was initiated by the alleged victim, who is now 19 and said the 16-month relationship began in September 2007, when she was 16, Wynn said. The victim alleged two instances of sexual contact, one while other students in Humerez's class watched a movie.

Humerez was arrested without incident in the 400 block of North Escondido Boulevard, where he believed he was going to meet the victim, Wynn said.