KESQ.com News Services

INDIO - A Desert Hot Springs man accused of repeatedly molesting a teenage girl pleaded not guilty today to felony and misdemeanor charges.

Joseph Lavigne, an instructor at Woolston Tae Kwon Do on Palm Drive, faces two felony counts of sexual battery and five misdemeanor counts of child molestation.

Lavigne was arraigned by Riverside County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey L. Gunther, who allowed him to remain free on $50,000 bail.

The 41-year-old defendant was ordered to return to court on Nov. 16 for a felony settlement conference.

Lavigne is accused of illegally touching the victim over a period of several days in August at his home in the 9200 block of Silver Star Avenue in Desert Hot Springs, according to a declaration in support of an arrest warrant.

The girl -- whose age and city of residence were not disclosed -- told police that on one occasion, Lavigne asked her to orally copulate him but she refused, according to the declaration prepared by Desert Hot Springs police Detective Larry Essex.

Another time, during a car ride to a 7-Eleven store, Lavigne allegedly exposed himself to her and made her touch him inappropriately.

The girl also alleged that toward the end of her visit, she was in a laundry room at Lavigne's home when he came up from behind, rubbed himself against her and told her he wanted to have sex with her, according to the detective.

She told police that she was afraid of reporting what allegedly happened because Lavigne has a second-degree black belt in martial arts, Essex wrote.

Lavigne denied touching the girl inappropriately. He said he gave her foot massages, according to the detective.

Lavigne told the detective that the girl made up the allegations because her family does not like him.