Clovis West teacher accused of sex crimes pleads not guilty

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Clovis West math teacher arrested for sex crimes with a teenager entered a Not Guilty plea in court Friday.

Pete Arguijo faces one count of lewd acts with a minor. Investigators say the victim is not a Clovis West student.

Arguijo is still hoping to get back into the classroom for the upcoming school year.

"Do you understand that right?" the judge asked Arguijo. "Are you willing to waive that right?"

"Yes, your honor," he replied.

Arguijo, 40, answers a judge in his first court appearance after being charged this week with felony lewd acts on a minor.

Investigators say the victim is not one of his students and the crime is not tied to the school in any way.

The well-liked math teacher at Clovis West High School was arrested two weeks ago after a tip came into the Fresno Police Department.

Arguijo's attorney, Roger Wilson, says his client has many family members supporting him.

"He was attended in court by a large number of his family," he said. "They're behind him 100 percent. This is just a tragic a tragic event in his life and we're trying to deal with it, his family is trying to deal with it and I think he'll come out of it okay."

During the arraignment, prosecutors asked that a criminal protective order be instated to prevent Arguijo from contacting the victim.

After Arguijo's arraignment, his attorney says they now begin the task of sorting through numerous police reports and interviews.

"I received copies of three law enforcement reports and two compact discs," Wilson said.

With the start of the new school year just a couple weeks away, Wilson says Arguijo is still hoping to get back to the classroom.

"He's a well-regarded educator," Wilson said. "And he's looking forward to getting back to work as soon as he can. Obviously, the school district and he need to meet and kind of flush this out."