RIVERSIDE: La Sierra HS assistant coach arrested, accused of sexual misconduct with students

RIVERSIDE — An “at-will” assistant football coach from La Sierra High School, accused of sexual misconduct with several female students, was arrested Friday, Oct. 13. The former school coach was arrested after an extensive investigation uncovered numerous victims, according to officials. The high school is part of the Alvord Unified School District in Riverside.

Investigators believe there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward and District, police and school officials have planned a town-hall meeting to address and discuss the arrest and allegations.

The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 6 p.m., and will be held La Sierra High School’s Performing Arts building at 4145 La Sierra Avenue in Riverside.

When School District officials were notified regarding the allegations, Thompson was released from his duties and responsibilities at the school, according to police officials.

School and District officials have not yet released a statement regarding the allegations and arrest.

After the initial and follow-up investigations, officers arrested Windell Jerone Thompson, 21, of Riverside. He was arrested about 11:30 a.m., and later booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on suspicion of one felony count of unlawful intercourse with a minor and five misdemeanor counts of annoying or molesting a child.

An online jail records search revealed Thompson was released the day after his arrest after posting $25,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned at the Riverside Hall of Justice, Dec. 14.

Officials have not stated when the investigation into Thompson’s alleged illegal activities began; however, according to an official release from the department the allegations stemmed from students who came forward and claimed Thompson had been involved in inappropriate relationships with a number of female students.

Members of the Riverside Police Department conducted “extensive interviews and follow-up” into the allegations, according to officials.

During their investigation, officers “determined the assistant coach had been having inappropriate contact with various female students at the high school through social media platforms.”

Officials also learned Thompson had sexual contact “with at least one of the involved students,” according to a written press release.

Officials believe there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward and are asking for anyone with additional information to contact School Resource Officer Edward Vazquez at (951) 353-7958 or Detective Paul Miranda at (951) 353-7945.

 

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Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.