Santa Rosa Disability Job Coach Arrested On Suspicion Of Lewd Acts

SANTA ROSA, CA — A job coach who worked with developmentally disabled individuals in a Santa Rosa high school program was arrested on suspicion of felony lewd acts, police said Tuesday.

Apolinario Araki "Junior" Santos, 61, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of multiple felony counts of lewd acts against a 20-year-old woman who was a participant in a transition program at Ridgeway High School.

The program helps young adults aged 18 to 22 with developmental disabilities attain job and life skills as they transition out of high school. Santos worked as an instructional assistant with the program, Santa Rosa police said.

On April 14, officers were notified by school district administrators that a complaint had come in from an employer partner with the program that Santos had allegedly inappropriately touched the 20-year-old woman multiple times during her workday at their business.

Detectives reviewed video surveillance footage at the business and allege that Santos' contact with the woman was sexually motivated.

"The detective conducted a thorough investigation and determined Santos intentionally touched the intimate parts of the victim against her will and that the victim was unable to consent to the acts due to her developmental disability," the Santa Rosa Police Department alleges.

The investigation was presented to the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office for review, and on May 20th, an arrest warrant for Santos was issued, police said.

On Tuesday just after 3 p.m., detectives located Santos at his residence and placed him under arrest.
Santos was booked into Sonoma County jail on suspicion of six felony and four misdemeanor counts of lewd acts against a dependent adult by a caretaker.

"We understand that some parents have adult children who participate in the Transition Program," said Santa Rosa police. "We encourage you to talk to your children about body boundaries, consent, and how to recognize inappropriate behavior."

Anyone with information related to this case should please contact the SRPD Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Team at 707-543-3595 or submit information online at srcity.org/CrimeTips.


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