BERKELEY, Calif. (KRON) – A man who works for Berkeley Unified School District has been placed on leave after police say he was engaging in lewd conduct near an elementary school and arrested.
According to Berkeley Unified officials, 61-year-old Anthony Orosco of Richmond was arrested Wednesday in connection with several previous incidents at an elementary school where a man was reported in the area engaged in suspicious or inappropriate behavior.
Police had responded to Sylvia Mendez Elementary School after someone reported a car circling the school. According to school officials, this same car had circled the school on at least 10 prior incidents.
A School Resource Officer told police he was aware of the same car since it was also reported as the car of a man seen possibly masturbating outside the elementary school in January.
The man was detained in his car near the school and arrested on multiple counts including engaging in lewd conduct and annoying/molesting a victim under 18-years-old.
Officers who searched the car found a hunting-style knife, gloves, duct tape, and zip ties.
According to Berkeley Unified, the man – who is no longer in police custody – currently works as a custodian at Rosa Parks Elementary and was substituting at other BUSD campuses during this school year. He was also a custodian at Sylvia Mendez at one point, officials said.
Berkeley Unified released a statement to parents, which read in part:
“The district takes this incident very seriously. BUSD Human Resources has placed this individual on leave. He will not be working at any BUSD site pending the findings of this investigation and will be prohibited from all BUSD facilities during this period. School staff has been asked to report this vehicle to their principal and the police if it is seen near any BUSD school.“
Anyone with additional information about this case, please contact the Youth Services Unit at (510) 981-5715.