Many residents in the Fresno area were rocked by the recent news that two employees at Clovis High School were arrested on sex crimes charges recently. Parents always want to believe that their children are safe when they are with school employees, but these recent allegations will have many wondering how true this notion is. For the arrestees, the damage to their reputations has already been done.
According to the reports, the two employees, one a 32-year-old sports coach and photography teacher, the other a 30-year-old football coach and substitute teacher, were both arrested on January 8. They face similar charges, including unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. From the initial reports, it is unclear whether or not the teachers are alleged to have engaged in sexual contact with the same student or if multiple students were involved. The initial bail amount for both arrestees was set at $65,000.
It appears that the investigation into these alleged relationships began after a student was said to have commented about the interactions, and those comments were apparently made known to school officials at Clovis High School. The reports indicate that the student who made the comments was not involved in the alleged relationships.
Even as these two defendants begin to plan their criminal defense strategies, there is another problem to deal with - public scrutiny. As individuals who were in positions of trust with minor children, they both will have a tough time turning the public perception of their alleged involvement in these cases.