A fourth-grade teacher in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, is accused of sexually assaulting two girls.
Jorge Alexis Bonilla pleaded not guilty during his court appearance this Monday.
Bonilla is facing several charges, including aggravated rape of a child and forcibly raping a child.
The victims are two sisters that Bonilla knew and allegedly raped when one was 15 years old and 9 years old respectively, prosecutors said.
The crimes allegedly occurred between 2014 and 2015, before Bonilla became a fourth-grade teacher at the Amigos School in Cambridge.
As he left the Middlesex Superior Court, Bonilla did not want to answer reporters' questions. His lawyer also declined to comment.
A spokesperson for Cambridge Public Schools say Bonilla was placed on administrative leave.
"The individual was not a CPS employee at the time the alleged assault occurred. It is important to note that the district’s employment process includes criminal record checks and the National Criminal Background Fingerprint check in addition to personal and professional references, educational and employment background checks," the spokesperson said in a statement.
The school has social workers and a counseling team mobilized to support students and staff.
Bonilla must return to court, but in the meantime, he must abide by restrictions on not being around children under 16 years of age.
