Caleb Douglas Hesse, former 1st grade teacher at Friendly Hills Elementary School, Morongo Unified School District, Joshua Tree, California, "arrested after admitting that he has been molesting boys, perhaps since the early 1980s" L.A. Times: Ex-Joshua Tree teacher accused of molesting boys, possibly for decades (Aug 17 2012) A former Joshua Tree elementary school teacher and local church volunteer was arrested after admitting that he has been molesting boys, perhaps since the early 1980s, authorities said Friday. Caleb Douglas Hesse, 52, disclosed the crimes to a San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy on Wednesday, and may have been molesting boys "as recently as one week ago," according to a statement released by the Sheriff's Department. Hesse until recently was a first-grade teacher at Friendly Hills Elementary School in Joshua Tree, and also served as a youth volunteer with the Evangelical Free Church in Yucca Valley, officials said. As a church volunteer, he was involved in a number of overnight outings with kids throughout California, according to the Sheriff’s Department. Tags:
KESQ: Detectives search for more victims after teacher arrested for abusing children (Aug 17 2012) The San Bernardino Sheriff's Department released the information and the photo of 52 year old Caleb Hesse, of Joshua Tree, to the media today to hopefully help their case. The Sheriff's Department says Hesse reportedly told investigators that he had inappropriate contact with numerous underage boys. Authorities believe the crimes occurred between the early 1980's and as recently as a week ago ... Hesse is booked at the Morongo Basin Jail, charged with lewd acts with a child. His bail is set at two and half million dollars and he is scheduled to be arraigned Monday.
San Bernardino Sun: Joshua Tree teacher's victims may include other boys, police say (Aug 17 2012) Caleb Douglas Hesse, 52, of Joshua Tree was booked on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts with a child younger than 14 years old. He was being held at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga in lieu of $2.5million bail, sheriff's officials said ... Hesse came to the sheriff's Morongo Basin station on Wednesday and told a deputy he had inappropriate contact with an unknown number of boys. The deputy contacted the sheriff's Crimes Against Children unit ... [District Superintendent Jim] Majchrzak said none of the alleged sex crimes occurred on school grounds, but that some of the alleged victims are likely Morongo Unified students, since the church Hesse worked is in in the school district. Hesse worked as a youth volunteer with Evangelical Free Church in Yucca Valley since the early 1980s. He participated in many overnight trips with the group around the state, making it possible that children in other church groups could have been victims, authorties said ... Deputies said they suspect most of Hesse's alleged victims are involved with the church youth group.
Press Enterprise: YUCCA VALLEY: Youth leader arrested on suspicion of committing lewd acts - Caleb Douglas Hesse was booked into the Morongo Basin Jail (Aug 17 2012) A Yucca Valley man who serves as a youth pastor for a local church and is a former school teacher in Joshua Tree has been arrested on suspicion of lewd acts with young boys dating to the 1980s. Caleb Douglas Hesse, 52, is scheduled to be arraigned Monday, Aug. 20 in San Bernardino County Superior Court on four counts of committing a lewd act on a child under age 14. He faces a maximum sentence of 45 years to life in state prison if he is convicted.
KRNV: Ex-teacher arrested on child sex allegations (Aug 17 2012) San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Cindy Bachman says 52-year-old Caleb Hesse was arrested late Tuesday and was booked for investigation of lewd conduct with a child under 14 ... He resigned during the investigation.
ABC Local KABC: Former Joshua Tree 1st grade teacher sentenced 60 years for molestation (Jan 24 2013) A former first-grade teacher has been sentenced to 60 years in prison for molesting children. Caleb Hesse, 52, pleaded guilty last month to five counts of molesting boys under the age of 15. Investigators say Hesse, who worked at Friendly Hills Elementary School in Joshua Tree, molested children as young as 9 over a 25-year period.
