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Court docs detail allegations against North High equipment manager involving multiple students

DA: At least 10 victims involved
Posted at 1:22 PM, Feb 20, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-20 23:16:45-05

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Court documents obtained by 23ABC News today detail the allegations against a North High School employee who was arrested this week.

Edwin Rodriguez allegedly engaged in inappropriate behavior with both male and female students, including telling a 17-year-old male student he was "gay on the weekends," according to court documents.

The Kern County District Attorney's office told 23ABC News there are at least 10 victims in the case.

Court documents show Kern County Sheriff's Office investigators identified eight juvenile victims during their investigation. KCSO says the sexual misconduct dates back to 2015.

Rodriguez was arrested and charged on February 19 with multiple felony and misdemeanor counts, including eight felony counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child 14 to 15-years-old.

The Kern High School District says Rodriguez has been on paid administrative leave since Sept. 27, 2018.

According to court documents, the victims' ages range between 14 and 17-years-old.

Between November and December 2018, KCSO determined there were four female victims between the ages of 14 and 15-years-old. Rodriguez allegedly sent Victim #1, a 15-year-old girl, a video of himself masturbating in the shower. Rodriguez also allegedly sent photos of his penis to the same student.

Victim #2, who was 14 or 15-years-old at the time, says Rodriguez kissed her in February 2018. Rodriguez also sent her sexually explicit pictures and videos of himself, similar to the ones he sent to Victim #1. In July 2018, Rodriguez allegedly "digitally penetrated [Victim #2's] vagina" in a classroom. Rodriguez also allegedly took pictures of her in skin-tight clothing and sent them to Victim #3.

Rodriguez allegedly took pictures of Victim #3 while she was bent over at cheerleading practice and commented he "could look at the photo all day long."

During the 2015 school year, Victim #4, a female student who was 15-years-old at the time, alleged Rodriguez had taken her home from a school function, according to court documents. Instead of taking her home, Rodriguez allegedly took her to an area near the bluffs, locked the car doors, and started questioning the student in a sexually explicit way. According to the court documents, the student feared for her safety and thought she was going to be raped or killed.

According to the documents, another student received videos of Rodriguez masturbating in a shower. Rodriguez also allegedly told her that he loved her multiple times as well as made suggestive comments over text messaging apps such as Snapchat.

In early 2018, Rodriguez allegedly grabbed a 17-year-old female student by the buttocks, pulled her into him, and tried to kiss her. Before this, Rodriguez allegedly sent her text messages through Snapchat, allegedly saying he was going to have sex with her once she turned 18-years-old. Rodriguez also allegedly requested she send him pictures of her buttocks.

According to court documents, a 17-year-old male student alleged Rodriguez touched him inappropriately, made numerous sexual comments, and engaged with sexual conversations with him over the course of three years. The court documents say that the student was injured playing football this season and went to Rodriguez for treatment. According to the court documents, Rodriguez rubbed Icy Hot on the student's shoulder and thigh. Rodriguez then allegedly told the student how he was "gay on the weekends."

That student also said Rodriguez touched the student's genitals. The student told investigators he told Rodriguez "I'm good," and left.

Rodriguez also allegedly made sexual comments to a 16-year-old female student, asking about what sexual positions she enjoyed with her boyfriend.

Another 16-year-old female student says Rodriguez made numerous sexual comments to her over the course of the 2018 school year.

The KHSD confirmed to 23ABC News that Rodriguez's wife, Josie Rodriguez -- a cheerleading coach at North High -- is also on paid administrative leave, but won't say if that is connected to this investigation. She's been on leave since Nov. 26, 2018. North High's website lists her as a special education instructional aide.

Edwin Rodriguez is expected to be arraigned on 11 felony and 13 misdemeanor charges on Thursday, February 21 at 3 p.m.