Atascadero man arrested on suspicion of molesting kids at Avenal school

An Atascadero man was arrested Thursday by local authorities on suspicion of molesting six children at Avenal Elementary School, where he is a fourth-grade teacher.

Charles Joseph Nugent, 52, was arrested at his home on the 9800 block of Las Lomas Avenue by Atascadero Police Department detectives and members of the Kings County District Attorney’s Office.

According to the Police Department of Avenal, a city about 65 miles northeast of Atascadero, Avenal Elementary School officials reported to the department’s juvenile services detective on Wednesday that Nugent may have inappropriately touched three students.

Avenal officials contacted Atascadero police, who searched Nugent’s home with Kings County investigators and took Nugent into custody. The Avenal Police Department said in a news release that “items of evidentiary value” were seized from the house.

Nugent was taken to Kings County Jail on suspicion of three felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a child and three misdemeanor counts of annoying or molesting a child.

Avenal Assistant Police Chief Arend La Blue said Tuesday that investigators have since determined that Nugent sexually molested three additional students at the school.

Kings County Assistant District Attorney Nick Schuller said his office on Friday filed a total of 18 charges against Nugent, including six felony charges of lewd acts, six felony charges of assault with intent to commit a sexual act, and six misdemeanor charges of molesting a child.

Kings County Jail logs indicate Nugent remains in custody and is being held in lieu of $800,000 bail. He has not yet been appointed a lawyer and is due in Kings County Superior Court for a second arraignment Wednesday morning.

Atascadero police Cmdr. Joe Allen said that his department remains in contact with Kings County officials but that there is no indication any related crimes were committed in San Luis Obispo County.

The Reef-Sunset Unified School District issued a statement Friday announcing that school officials were working closely with law enforcement and encouraged any other potential victims to come forward.

David East, district superintendent, said Tuesday that Nugent has been placed on paid administrative leave pending criminal proceedings against him.

This story was originally published February 2, 2016 at 4:02 PM with the headline "Atascadero man arrested on suspicion of molesting kids at Avenal school."