A married teacher in Southern California was arrested after she allegedly had inappropriate sexual relations with at least one student.
Samantha J. Watson was arrested and taken into custody on Friday, May 22, at the Robert Presley Detention Center, according to online records viewed by Us Weekly. She was charged with sending harmful material to a juvenile, oral copulation and digital penetration and was taken into custody without incident.
Police said that the alleged sexual assault took place between 2017 to 2018, according to the a news release from the Riverside County Sheriff Department shared on May 22. Watson, 41, was working as a teacher at a charter school in Moreno Valley at the time of the alleged incident, and the New York Post reported that she is currently married.
The investigation into Watson’s alleged crimes was launched on January 28 after someone came forward with allegations that she had inappropriate contact with a student, according to authorities. The Riverside Sheriff’s Special Victims Unit was then notified, and they ultimately determined that was enough evidence to press charges.
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Despite confirming her arrest and charges, authorities have not shared any additional information about what exactly Watson was accused of and what her relationship to the victim was.
Authorities said that the investigation into the allegations remains ongoing and it’s possible that there are other victims involved. Police have asked that anyone with additional information regarding the investigation contact Master Investigator D. Schell at (951) 955–1704 or the Sheriff’s Dispatch at 951–776–1099.
It is not currently clear if Watson has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following her arrest.
The Riverside County Sheriff Department had no updates to share when contacted by Us about the case.
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While authorities did not state the name of the school where Watson was a teacher in the news release, they said the charter school was located in the 23000 block of Sunnymead Boulevard. An online search performed by Us confirmed that Options for Youth Public Charter Schools is located in the area.
According to the school’s website, Options for Youth Public Charter Schools “is a network of FREE non-profit public charter schools, serving students who have fallen behind in school, are looking to get ahead and graduate early, or simply desire a non-traditional learning environment.”
The school has locations in Northern and Southern California in Los Angeles, as well as in San Bernardino and Sacramento counties.
