Charter school teacher arrested for alleged sexual abuse of student — police say there may be more victims

A California teacher was arrested for allegedly having inappropriate sexual contact with a student, and police believe there could be more victims.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement: “On January 28, 2026, the Riverside Sheriff’s Moreno Valley Station’s Investigation Bureau began investigating allegations of inappropriate contact with a student at a school in Moreno Valley.”

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Special Victims Unit suspects that there may be additional victims.

Police identified the suspect as 41-year-old Samantha Josephine Watson of Eastvale.

The sheriff’s office said Watson engaged in “inappropriate contact” with a student between 2017 and 2018. At the time of the alleged inappropriate contact, Watson was employed as a teacher at a charter school in Moreno Valley, according to the statement.

While the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office did not name the school, officials noted that the alleged abuse occurred at a charter school campus in the 23000 block of Sunnymead Boulevard, KCBS-TV reported, adding that an online search indicates Options for Youth Public Charter Schools “operates in the area.”

Watson is not listed as an employee in the staff directory for the Options for Youth Public Charter Schools.

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Law enforcement on Friday executed a search warrant in Eastvale and took Watson into custody without incident.

Watson was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center on charges of sending harmful material to a juvenile, oral copulation, and digital penetration.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Special Victims Unit suspects there may be additional victims.

The New York Post, citing property records, reported that Watson shares a $1.2 million home in Eastvale with her husband.

Watson is scheduled to appear June 8 at the Riverside Hall of Justice for her first hearing, according to jail records provided by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

The Options for Youth Public Charter Schools did not immediately respond to Blaze News’ request for comment.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office told Blaze News there are no updates at this time.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office urges those with information on the case to contact Master Investigator D. Schell at 951-955-1704 or the sheriff’s dispatch at 951-776-1099.

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