Man accused of sex abuse in after-school program waives preliminary hearing; trial set June 19

City News Service

A man who coached an after-school fencing program on the La Jolla Country Day School campus waived his right to a preliminary hearing today and agreed to stand trial on sex abuse charges stemming from an alleged inappropriate relationship with a high school student.

Vijay Prasad -- a coach in charge of youth fencing classes in the recreation department at UC San Diego -- faces 11 years in state prison if convicted.

The alleged sexual abuse began when the girl was 15, and she came forward five years after the alleged sex acts.

Prasad, 50, was charged in February with 13 counts, including sodomy of a person under 16 by a person over 21 and commiting a lewd act on a child 14 or 15 years of age.

The defendant -- out of custody on $200,000 bail -- will be back in court May 14 for a readiness conference. Trial was set for June 19.