By Khalida Sarwari
An Aptos Junior High School math teacher was arrested today after a 13-year-old female student accused him of molesting her, according to a Santa Cruz County sheriff’s spokesman.
The girl, who is a resident of Santa Cruz, reported being sexually molested by Steven Sande, 60, a math teacher at Aptos Junior High School, sheriff’s Sgt. Todd Liberty said.
He said Sande was arrested at about 9:45 a.m. today at his home in Santa Cruz and booked into county jail on multiple charges of child molestation.
Detectives seized evidence, including computers and other items, from Sande’s home.
Liberty said that although he could not disclose details of the evidence recovered, “We do have good solid evidence linking him to the victim and the crime.”
The incidents allegedly occurred on multiple occasions during the last several months on the school campus and in nearby parks in the Aptos area, Liberty said.
Sande has taught at Aptos Junior High School for 10 years. He is married and has one adult daughter, Liberty said.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the accusations and believes there might be other victims, Liberty said.
“We’re just concerned based on the amount of contact he had with students,” he said.
Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to call Detective Sgt. Todd Liberty at (831) 454-2311.