Martial arts instructor gets a year in jail, HMB cop not charged

The Half Moon Bay Brazilian martial arts instructor who pleaded no contest to inappropriately touching four teenage boys received a year in jail, according to the County Times.

Meanwhile the officer on adminstrative leave during the investigation of whether he withheld evidence of the molestation, will not be prosecuted, reports the Daily Journal.

District Attorney Jim Fox decided Thursday against charging the officer for failing his duty as a mandated reporter — a misdemeanor — and instead is returning the matter to the Half Moon Bay police department for review.

"We concluded this is a matter best left to the personnel of the department," Wagstaffe said.

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The boys later told one victim’s father and he in turn approached the officer with whom he was friends for advice.

The officer was off duty and reportedly told the unsure father to consider whether he wanted to press charges. The officer later told the father he had to come forward, Wagstaffe said.

The Daily Journal decided to withhold the officer’s name because no charges were filed, but the officer’s name has been released by the Review.