A former Coronado firefighter was arrested in La Mesa this month on child molestation charges after pleading no contest to similar allegations to an incident that occurred in Hawaii.
Mark Raymond Price, 56, is accused of sexually abusing a child in San Diego in 2013 and 2015 and sexually abusing the same child while on vacation in Hawaii last year, according to court documents and Kauai prosecutor Justin Kollar.
A city of Coronado spokesperson confirmed to NBC 7 that Price used to be a firefighter at the city's department but has not worked there since June. The spokesperson would not specify the circumstances under which Price left the department.
The victim, who will not be identified due to the nature of the accusations, came forward in Hawaii, leading to the first charge against Price.
In Kauai court, Price pleaded no contest to one charge of sexual assault in the second degree. He will be sentenced on March 31 and faces up to 10 years in prison, Kollar said.
"It’s a classic case of abuse of a child, is what it comes down to for us," Kollar said. "These types of cases are the ones that really shake us as people, and as parents, and as citizens to think that somebody who’s in a position of trust and authority would do this to someone that is supposed to be able to look up them for trust and support"
When the Kauai deputy attorney's office was made aware of the charge against Price, they notified San Diego officials to conduct their own investigation, which resulted in four charges being filed against Price in San Diego.
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Last Thursday, Price pleaded not guilty to one felony count of sex acts with a child under 10 years old and three felony counts of lewd acts on a child. Price will next be in San Diego Court on Jan. 15.
The alleged sex acts occurred on at least two occasions in San Diego, one between May and Sept. 2013 and one in 2015, according to a complaint obtained by NBC 7.
Price was arrested by La Mesa police on Dec. 12 and was being held at the George Bailey Detention Facility on $500,000 bail.
In court, a judge ordered Price to stay away from and end all communications with the victim.
No other information was available.
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