For the second time this month, a Valley teacher is accused of feeling up a student. The latest: Richardo Moreno, a teacher at Basha High School in Chandler.
According to Chandler police, a 16-year-old female student told school administrators that Moreno, 51, inappropriately touched her and another girl while the three were at the school.
Moreno, the girl claims, used her hand to grab the breast of another 16-year-old student.
"The allegation is that the teacher took a girl by the
arm/wrist and used her hand to touch another female student on the
chest, touching her breast," Chandler Sergeant Joe Favazzo tells New Times.
It's unclear whether there's any other evidence against Moreno other than the girl's word -- Favazzo says detectives are in the early stages of the investigation, but he thinks there may have been other witnesses to the alleged second-hand groping.
We've requested Moreno's arrest report. Check back for details.
Moreno is the second Valley teacher to be accused of groping students this month.
Last week, Thomas Weaver -- a teacher with the
Scottsdale Unified School District -- was arrested after two students at
the Arcadia Learning Center told police he groped them.
According to the girls, Weaver, 60, approached them in the library and told one of them he liked her
necklace. He then grabbed it -- before copping a quick (five-second)
feel.
He then told the other girl he liked her necklace, as well.
According to the girl, Weaver then grabbed her breast, too -- this
boob-grab lasted about 30 seconds.
Both girls say a similar incident happened at the beginning of the school year.
The girls told police that Weaver grabbed a cell phone out of one of the
girls' back pocket. She says it seemed at the time like he was feeling
her up and that it took him "longer than necessary" to remove the phone.
The girls say they always feel uncomfortable around Weaver because he's
"always asking for hugs," and that he looks at them "in a way that a
teacher shouldn't look at a student."
Moreno was booked on two counts of sexual abuse.
Anyone with information about Moreno is asked to call the Chandler Police Department at 480-782-4130.
