Retired Oak Ridge HS band director enters not guilty pleas to child sex charges
Paul William Varoff, the retired Oak Ridge High School band director facing felony child sex abuse charges, pleaded not guilty to the allegations Monday in a Placerville courtroom and will return to El Dorado Superior Court in late February.
The 64-year-old Varoff taught for more than 30 years at the El Dorado Hills campus before retiring. He remained held without bail at the El Dorado County Jail, accused of 10 counts connected to a nearly year-long pattern of sex acts involving an underage victim at locations including his Orangevale home, his office at Oak Ridge High School and a birthday celebration for the teacher, according to an El Dorado County District Attorney’s complaint.
The suspected acts were committed between Jan. 1 and Aug. 23, 2023, at Varoff’s home, and at his Oak Ridge office between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28, 2023, prosecutors alleged in the January complaint.
Prosecutors said in the complaint the victim was “particularly vulnerable,” and that Varoff “took advantage of a position of trust” to commit the crimes.
Varoff, dressed in orange jail clothing with his hands cuffed, sat in the jury box. Deputy District Attorney Kassie Cardulo, the prosecutor, called for a protective order for “J. Doe,” Varoff’s alleged victim, and for Varoff to remain held without bail.
El Dorado Union High School District officials said Varoff had retired but had since worked periodically in a limited support role with the district. In a statement following his January arrest by El Dorado County Sheriff’s detectives, officials said they were taking the allegations seriously, working with sheriff’s officials and “taking all appropriate steps to protect our school community.”
El Dorado Superior Court Judge Thomas A. Smith granted both requests.
“It appears to the court that there is a danger to public safety and, at a minimum, to ‘J. Doe,’” if Varoff were to be allowed to post bail, Smith said from the bench.
Varoff is scheduled to return Feb. 27 to El Dorado Superior Court for a prehearing conference.
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