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Berkeley janitor arrested for alleged lewd conduct near school
Berkeley janitor arrested for alleged lewd conduct near school
BERKELEY, Calif. - A custodian for the Berkeley Unified School District was arrested on Wednesday for engaging in lewd conduct outside an elementary school he previously worked at, the district said in an email to parents.
An officer responded to Sylvia Mendez Elementary School on Ellsworth Street after a report of a man circling the school.
According to school officials, this same vehicle had circled the school on at least 10 prior occasions. Authorities said it was reported that the vehicle was also associated with a man seen possibly masturbating outside the elementary school in January.
Officers spotted the vehicle, a 2007 black Lexus, parked near the school and detained the driver, identified as 61-year-old Anthony Orosco of Richmond.
Inside the vehicle, officers found several items of concern—including a hunting-style knife, gloves, duct tape, and a bundle of zip ties, authorities said. It's unclear why those items were in the car and what the suspect planned to do with them.
Berkeley Unified notified parents of the arrest and said the suspect is employed by the district. Orosco currently worked as a custodian at Rosa Parks Elementary and would substitute at other campuses during the school year, including Sylvia Mendez Elementary School.
Orosco was arrested on suspicion of ten counts of annoying/molesting a minor and one count of engaging in lewd conduct.