La Mesan Ordered to Stand Trial in November on Sexual Molestation Charges

La Mesa resident Eric Dylan Protas, a karate instructor accused of carrying on a sexual relationship with one of his teenage students, must stand trial on 29 felony counts, a judge ruled Tuesday in El  Cajon Superior Court.

Protas, 38,  faces up to 48 years in prison if convicted as charged, said Deputy District Attorney John Philpott.

City News Service reported that the boy—now 14—testified that he had oral and anal sex about 300 times in the past year and a half with Protas, the owner/operator of the Allied Gardens School of Martial Arts on Waring Road.

The boy testified that Protas became his instructor in an after-school martial arts program when he was in kindergarten, and he began taking classes at the studio when he was older.

At one point, when he was having trouble at home and school, he confided in Protas, who made him feel better, the boy said. He said that launched a relationship in which they got together nearly every day.

''(Protas) was my father figure,'' said the boy, who is being raised by his single mother and grandparents. ''He's all I had.''

The teen said he helped instruct younger children in martial arts, went out to eat with the defendant, went hiking with him and eventually began going to his house to watch television and movies.

By the time he was in the seventh grade, he noticed the defendant had an expression of ''yearning'' when they were together, the witness testified.

''I noticed something was wrong with Eric, I saw it on his face, so I questioned him and he said I would run for the hills if he told me,'' the boy said.

The two had sex for the first time at the defendant's house later that school year, and it went from once or twice a week to almost daily, he testified.

If he refused, the defendant would ''shut down'' emotionally and cry,
according to the boy, whose name was being withheld because he is an underage alleged molestation victim.

Protas' lawyer objected when the subject of his client's purported suicide note was introduced. Upon further questioning by the prosecution, the boy said he saw a letter that made him afraid of ending the relationship. He said he became very confused and didn't know if he was doing the right thing.

His mother began to suspect that Protas was a pedophile and barred the two from communicating earlier this year. The boy said he was caught shoplifting from a grocery store in June, and he told her about the sexual relationship with the defendant.

Detectives had the boy make a telephone call to Protas, which was recorded and played at the preliminary hearing.

The boy brought up the issue of sex several times, but Protas' responses were often unintelligible, although at one point he agreed it was a huge part of their connection.

The prosecution added 18 counts against Protas before the hearing began. He originally faced 21 years in prison if convicted, but the new charges could add significantly to that total.

El Cajon Judge William McGrath ruled that enough evidence had been presented for Protas to stand trial on the charges, which include an allegation of substantial sexual contact.

He set a Nov. 22 trial date, as well as a Nov. 1 readiness conference for Protas, who remains in custody in lieu of $800,000 bail.