SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Nicholas Piazza, the North County-based swim instructor accused of sexually abusing a student, appeared in court Wednesday. The judge has asked the media not to show his face.
Piazza was in court for a status hearing, allowing his lawyer and the prosecutor to set dates on his future court proceedings.
According to court documents, he was arrested in Oct. 2021 on a felony charge of committing a lewd act upon a child. The child was a 6 year old at the time and reportedly told his mother that “a substitute swimming instructor touched his private parts.”
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department confirms that Piazza worked at Callan Swim School in San Marcos at the time of that alleged incident. Piazza was out on bail, awaiting trial for that case when deputies say the 19-year-old was arrested for sexually abusing another child.
Authorities say the two alleged incidents with this child didn’t happen at Callan Swim School, but during private swim lessons between Sept. 7 and Sept. 25, 2022, in Rancho Santa Fe. He was arrested and booked into the Vista Detention Facility in connection to that case on Sept. 29.
Deputy District Attorney Patricia Lavermiococca, who handled Piazza’s case, says they could decide in a later court hearing to combine the charges.
“When you have one victim, the thought for anyone is 'Is that child lying? Are they trying to gain something?' Maybe the family is setting something up," she says. "It’s hard to prove a case when you only have a child’s word to probe a case beyond a reasonable doubt. But, now you have two children."
Callan Swim School says it’s been “quite some time” since Piazza has worked for them. In a statement, they say “[He] was not employed by us during the time of this alleged incident. We would like to make it clear: after teaching swimming lessons for over 60 years and being in this business of saving lives, CSS would never knowingly put any student in jeopardy in any capacity."
Piazza will be back in court in December. He faces charges of performing lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, committing a felony while on bail and contempt of court.
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