VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) -- An East County driving school instructor is in jail charged with dozens of sex crimes involving eleven alleged victims, all but one underage.
Richard Joseph Banks listened as the public defender entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf Tuesday afternoon. Banks is charged with 33 counts, several of them felonies.
"Possession and production of child sexual abuse materials, invasion of privacy, sexual battery, and lewd and lascivious conduct on a 14-year-old or 15-year-old," said San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Casey French.
Investigators say the crimes happened while Banks was an instructor for the American Driving School in El Cajon.
Banks is accused of molesting or sexually assaulting students from April of 2023 to November.
Investigators say Banks used hidden cameras in the car during lessons to record the girls' private areas.
The school's owner says Banks passed a government background check and was suspended immediately after police contacted them.
In court, the judge used initials to identify the alleged victims and ordered Banks not to have contact with them.
Police arrested Banks at his home in Escondido on Thursday. Investigators say there may be more victims.
'We do appreciate any cooperation by the driving school, by the victims in this case. It's with their cooperation that we're able to move forward in this case," said French.
Banks is in jail without bail, but his attorney has requested a bail review hearing this Friday. If convicted, he could spend eighteen years and six months in prison.
