Legacy Teacher Arrested for Inappropriate Conduct

By Jim Holt
The Signal
March 27, 2014

http://www.signalscv.com/section/36/article/116996/

Carl Astrera

A teacher at a private Santa Clarita elementary and middle school was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of inappropriate contact with an 11-year-old student, investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Wednesday.

Carl Astrera, 35, who lives in Panorama City and has worked at Legacy Christian Academy for years, was arrested by detectives with the department’s Special Victims Bureau, according to a news release issued by the department Wednesday afternoon.

Astrera was arrested after the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed one misdemeanor count against him for allegedly annoying/molesting a child.

Astrera teaches computers and information technology as part of the private school’s Enrichment/Exploratory Program, according to the school’s website.

“He conducted himself inappropriately with this one student by touching the student outside the clothing and saying things that made the child feel uncomfortable,” Sgt. Brian Hudson of the department’s Special Victims Bureau said Wednesday.

“Our fear is that, because of his employment and position and his access to children, that there are other victims who have just not come forward,” he said.

Detectives began their investigation on Feb. 28 after receiving a report of an incident allegedly involving Astrera inappropriately contacting a boy enrolled at Legacy Christian Academy in Valencia, according to the release.

The conduct toward the child appears to have occurred during the last year and half, the release states.

Astrera remains in custody at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station jail with bail set at $20,000, according to information published by the department’s Inmate Information Center.

“We were advised today that one of our teachers has been cited for allegedly violating California law that prohibits child annoyance,” Legacy Principal Timothy Bourruel told The Signal Wednesday.

“Pending further investigation of the accusations, the teacher has been placed on administrative leave,” he said. “We are unaware of any information that indicates any student was, at any time, in a situation of risk with the cited teacher.”

Detectives believe there may be additional victims in the case, as the suspect has been employed at Legacy Academy for several years.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Bureau at (877) 710-5273.

According to its website, Legacy Christian Academy is a private, independent, traditional kindergarten-through-eighth-grade school established in 1995. In 2008, the school launched its middle school for grades seven and eight.

jholt@signalscv.com or 661-287-5527