Ex-Teacher, Church Volunteer Admits To Inappropriate Contact With Boys

MORENO VALLEY (CBSLA.com) — A longtime Morongo elementary school teacher was in custody Friday after admitting inappropriate contact with young boys.

On Wednesday, August 15, at 9:30 p.m., Joshua Tree resident Caleb Hesse told a deputy that he had inappropriate contact with an unknown number of male juveniles.

The deputy contacted Detectives with the Sheriff's Crimes Against Children Detail to conduct the investigation.

Investigators learned that Hesse, 52, has been employed with the Morongo Unified School District since 1987 and until recently was a first-grade teacher at Friendly Hills Elementary School in Joshua Tree.

Additionally, he has been a youth volunteer with the Evangelical Free Church in Yucca Valley since the early 1980's and was involved in countless overnight outings that took place throughout California.

Investigators are attempting to identify the victims and they believe that the majority of the victims are involved with the church youth group.

The crimes are believed to have occurred between the early 1980's and as recently as one week ago. Some of the victims may now be betwee 30 and 40 years old.

Hesse was booked at the Morongo Basin Jail for PC 288(A) Lewd and Lascivious Acts with a Child under 14 and bail was set at $2.5 million.

He is scheduled for arraignment Friday at 1:30 p.m. in the Morongo Basin Superior Court.

The investigation is ongoing and investigators anticipate additional charges will be filed. Anyone who may be a victim or have additional information is urged to contact San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department at (909) 387-3615.