An Irvine man working as a substitute teacher was arrested Thursday, Sept. 30 after a student at a Santa Ana elementary school reported he had inappropriately touched her, officials said.
Joseph Frances Deluca, 47, was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault.
School officers at Edison Elementary School reported the incident, which involved a 10-year-old girl, to Santa Ana police Thursday. Detectives interviewed multiple students to search for additional victims, a news release from the department sent out Friday said.
Deluca no longer worked at the school, but investigators learned he was substituting at Robert Heidman Elementary school in Tustin. Deluca had been a full-time teacher for 15 years and a substitute teacher for the last two years.
He has worked at both elementary and middle schools in Westminster, Buena Park, Santa Ana, Fountain Valley, and Tustin, police said.
The Santa Ana Police Department is asking anyone with information to contact Detective Jessica Taylor at 714-245-8349, jtaylor5@santa-ana.org, or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.
Related Articles
2nd arrest made in 2019 killing in Anaheim mobile home
Might be ‘carpool lane’ to you, but the feds prefers ‘HOV lane’
San Bernardino County deputies lacked body-worn cameras during shooting that killed teen
Third suspect in LA killing of rapper PnB Rock arrested in Las Vegas
Trial begins for man charged with stabbing, strangling girlfriend in Santa Ana
