Sacramento-area high school teacher surrenders to jail on molestation charges

A Citrus Heights teacher turned himself in Thursday following a warrant last month for his arrest on suspicion of annoying or molesting a child, the police said.

Augustine Sanchez, 48, a resident of the city and a teacher at Mesa Verde High School, was booked into Sacramento County Jail, according to a news release from the Citrus Heights Police Department. He was then released, jail records show.

The San Juan Unified School District placed Sanchez, who has worked at the school since 2012, on administrative leave in February, “when concerns were shared,” district spokesperson Raj Rai wrote in a statement.

The Police Department said it began to investigate after receiving a report in early March about Sanchez’s behavior with a child. The news release said the police had found six victims and did not believe there were more, but it did not specify allegations about his conduct.

“The safety and well-being of our students is always our top priority,” Rai wrote in the school district’s statement. “Prior to beginning service, all employees are subject to a thorough background check and we investigate all reports of inappropriate behavior with the involvement of law enforcement when appropriate.”

She added that the district had contacted Mesa Verde parents “to encourage discussions with their students and inform them of supports available if their student experiences anxiety or concern due to this news.”

The Police Department encouraged anyone with relevant information to contact its hotline at 916-727-5524 or the Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers hotline at 916-443-4357.

Sanchez is scheduled to appear in Sacramento Superior Court on Oct. 20.

This story was originally published August 1, 2025 at 10:46 AM.