An interim head coach has taken over the San Benito High School
boys varsity soccer team as a replacement for Ramiro N. Ramos, who
departed the program following charges coming to light alleging he
and three other executives at San Andreas HVAC took kickbacks from
workers on public jobs requiring prevailing wages for the
employees.
An interim head coach has taken over the San Benito High School boys varsity soccer team as a replacement for Ramiro N. Ramos, who departed the program following charges coming to light alleging he and three other executives at San Andreas HVAC took kickbacks from workers on public jobs requiring prevailing wages for the employees.
Matt Andrade took over as interim coach Monday. Although details of the situation are unclear at this time, Ramos’ absence from the varsity sidelines follows charges in Santa Clara County Court alleging seven felony counts of taking and receiving wages from a worker. If convicted, he could face up to nine years in prison.
School district Human Resources Director Shawn Tennenbaum declined to comment on the departure when asked about the reasoning for it and whether it is a leave of absence or termination.
“In terms of the current soccer coach right now, it is a personnel issue,” he said. “We’re taking every precaution to ensure our student-athletes are safe, that they have the correct atmosphere they need.”
Tennenbaum said school officials will “continue to follow the situation and abide by law enforcement.”
This was Ramos’ second season as varsity boys soccer coach. Ramos hung up his cell phone this afternoon when asked to comment on his departure and whether it was voluntary.
Neither Andrade nor San Benito Athletic Director Tod Thatcher could be reached immediately before publication.
Thatcher informed Andrade and assistant coach Patrick Nolan at about noon Monday they would be coaching the team in the interim, Andrade confirmed.
Andrade coached the team in two games this week, a 3-1 loss to Palma on Monday and a 3-1 loss to Alisal on Thursday, while there are now four games left in the season. Andrade also currently is San Benito’s junior varsity football coach.
Ramos, 41, previously told the Free Lance he first informed a school official – Thatcher – about the charges two weeks ago after the allegations became public in the media, more than two months after they were filed. He said at the time he had planned to “eventually” disclose it to the school.
Authorities allege the four men ran what prosecutors called a “kickback scheme” by reporting to the contracting party they paid the prevailing wage as mandated by law. The district attorney’s office suspects that although their employees’ paychecks reflected prevailing wages, the executives attached notes to each stub instructing the workers to return 75 percent of the money. Prosecutors allege the employees ended up making $13.50 per hour.
