Stanislaus County Office of Education Paraeducator Arrested After Abuse Material Tip

Detectives with the Modesto Police Department opened the case after a tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children about someone buying child sexual abuse material, KCRA and FOX40 reported, citing police. Investigators identified the suspect as a paraeducator who works for the Stanislaus County Office of Education at a school in Riverbank. Reports have not named the school.

Police announced the arrest on Friday, November 13, 2026, saying the paraeducator was arrested on suspicion of possessing child sexual abuse material with intent to distribute it. KCRA reported that the arrest happened Thursday, while FOX40 reported that it was made Friday, away from district property. Neither report said whether prosecutors have filed charges, and an arrest is not a conviction.

Police said investigators have found no indication of victims connected to the schools where the employee worked, and they asked anyone with information about the case or possible victims to contact the Modesto Police Department. This article may be updated when police or prosecutors release more.

A county office spokesperson called the allegations “very serious and deeply concerning” and said the office is fully cooperating with law enforcement, FOX40 reported. “The safety and well-being of our students is always our highest priority,” the spokesperson said.

The office said it would not comment on the allegations or the evidence because the investigation is still active, KCRA reported. Neither the police nor the county office has described any prior complaint about the employee.

California requires school districts to fingerprint applicants for jobs that do not need a teaching credential and, with narrow exceptions, to wait for the Department of Justice to finish its criminal history check before hiring them (Education Code §45125). Reports have not said how this employee was screened, and a background check can only show what is already on record.

Employees of school districts and county offices of education are mandated reporters of suspected child abuse, and so are adult volunteers who work with students outside the supervision of a parent or school employee (Penal Code §11165.7).

For volunteers and walk-on coaches, a separate clearance process applies; we walk through it in our guide to how schools screen coaches and volunteers. Families weighing a civil claim can read about claims over sexual abuse at California schools.

Survivors whose images were made or shared have their own civil claims. If the abuse took place before 2024, California generally allows a lawsuit until the survivor turns 40, or within 10 years of learning, as an adult, that the images exist, whichever comes later (Code of Civil Procedure §340.11). For abuse in 2024 or later, state law sets no filing deadline at all.

Federal law gives people depicted in such material a separate civil claim, which we explain in our coverage of a former Delhi High School teacher’s federal indictment. A survivor suing a public school employer does not have to file a government claim first.

This general overview is not legal advice; deadlines turn on dates and facts that are worth checking early.

Our sexual abuse attorneys work with people who survived childhood sexual abuse in schools and other settings, and our Stockton office is the closest to Stanislaus County families. You can learn about the attorneys on our team, or read our report on lawsuits against Elk Grove Unified, one of which involves a former paraeducator.

If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. Suspected abuse can also be reported to local law enforcement or the county’s child welfare agency.

If you are worried about what a child went through at school, one of our legal professionals can listen in private and explain the choices your family has. There is no pressure to decide anything, and there are no fees unless you get paid.

Contact Wilshire Law Firm today.