A prominent Orange County coach is facing criminal charges after authorities allege he sexually abused seven girls in a Los Alamitos-based water polo club.

Bahram Hojreh, a 42-year-old Irvine resident, is facing nearly two-dozen felony and misdemeanor charges, including lewd acts upon a child, sexual penetration of a minor with a foreign object, child annoyance and sexual battery.

At the time the sexual assaults are alleged to have occurred, Hojreh was working as a water polo coach at the International Water Polo Club in Los Alamitos. According to prosecutors, the acts took place during one-on-one coaching sessions between Hojreh and the players, four of whom were 15 years old or younger at the time.

Hojreh, during a Wednesday arraignment hearing, pleaded not guilty to the charges. His attorney, Ricardo Nicol, said his client “adamantly denies” the allegations.

Prosecutors said the suspected sexual assaults took place from September 2014 to January 2018; he is accused of touching players’ breasts and genitals, digitally penetrating victims, and coercing girls to touch his genitals.

Two of the girls told their parents of the alleged sexual assaults, with parent then reporting the incidents to Child Protective Services. The Los Alamitos Police Department was notified, and during its investigation identified five additional victims, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

Several months ago, the International Water Polo Club was kept from using the pool at a military base after police informed base officials they were investigating allegations involving sexual misconduct against the program’s director.

During the police investigation, Hojreh was restricted from entering the Joint Forces Training Base where the club was housed, Los Alamitos police Capt. Sean Connolly said.

Hojreh also had served on the board for a local chapter of USA Water Polo, the sport’s governing body in the United States.

Christopher Ramsey, USA Water Polo’s chief executive officer, said the U.S. Center for Safesport learned about the allegations against Hojreh in January, at which point Hojreh’s USA Water Polo membership and seat on the regional board were suspended.

“The Center was established to respond to allegations such as those made in reference to Mr. Hojreh, and we fully support the Center in its efforts and fully cooperate with the Center in enforcing any sanctions that the Center may impose,” Ramsey said.

Hojreh’s attorney noted that his client had no prior record of improper behavior.

“A guy that has been involved in the sport for 30 years, who has an impeccable reputation, who has been entrusted with hundreds, if not thousands, of kids, he suddenly becomes a serial groper in the pool?” Nicol said. “Hopefully the truth wins out. But to me, there is something here that is not adding up.”

A well-known figure in the Orange County water polo scene, Hojreh recently coached at Kennedy High in La Palma. He was hired by the Anaheim Union High School District in late August as a walk-on girls varsity water polo coach, said Pat Karlak, a spokeswoman for the district.

The district placed Hojreh on administrative leave once it learned he was being investigated by police, on Jan. 3, Karlak said. The district is in the process of firing the coach, Karlak said.

“He came with strong recommendations from parents,” Karlak said of Hojreh, who she added was fingerprinted as part of his employment and underwent sexual-abuse-prevention training. “This is difficult. It’s a real societal problem that all institutions that work with kids face.”

Before Kennedy, Hojreh coached boys and girls water polo at University High in Irvine. He told the Register in January 2017 that he resigned as the girls water polo coach at University.

Hojreh is the second aquatics coach at Kennedy to face sexual-assault charges recently. Joshua Owens, a former assistant water polo and swimming coach, was charged with eight counts of sexual assault against minors from his time working at the school.

Owens, who coached at Kennedy in 2014-16, pleaded not guilty in January 2017. His case is pending.

If convicted, Hojreh faces up to 13 years and four months in state prison and 10 years in county jail. His bail was set at $250,000, and he posted that and was released.

Police asked that anyone with more information to call Los Alamitos Detective Delana Lopez at 562-431-2255, ext. 407.