Kindergarten Teacher Arrested on Suspicion of Child Molestation

An East Palo Alto kindergarten teacher was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of molesting a student after he allegedly tried to bribe the victim's parents not to press charges, the police department said Friday.

Jose Suarez Cerezo, 45, was placed on administrative leave from his position at Green Oaks Academy while the accusations are being investigated, Palo Alto police said.

The school learned of allegations that Cerezo inappropriately touched a student and immediately called police, according to the department.

Investigators learned he called the victim's family after he was put on leave and offered a large sum of money in exchange for not pressing charges.

He was determined to be a foreign national from Spain and believed to have posed a flight risk, police said.

The department secured a $500,000 arrest warrant for Cerezo but was unable to locate him.

The U.S. Marshals Service and San Francisco police found Cerezo in San Francisco and arrested him Wednesday.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call East Palo Alto police at 650-321-1112 or text a tip to 650-409-6792.

—Bay City News Service