A substitute teacher in South Gate was charged with sexually assaulting two young boys, and investigators believe there could be more victims.
Andrew Sandoval was arrested on July 25 on “suspicion of child molestation and other related charges,” according to the South Gate Police Department.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said a search was conducted in Sandoval’s home.
“Officers found videos in the defendant's phone of him performing sexual acts on what appeared to be an eight-year-old boy,” Gascon said. “The defendant is suspected of sexually abusing the second boy when he was between the ages of four and nine years of age.”
Investigators also found more than 600 images of child pornography.
South Gate Police Chief Darren Arakawa said that Sandoval was a substitute teacher and teacher's aide at several schools throughout L.A. County from October 2018 to April 2024.
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“This revelation causes a serious concern simply because he had frequent access to children during the course of his employment,” he said. “What we didn't know or expect at the time this investigation was initiated was how deep, dark, and disturbing the acts of this individual turned out to be.”
Chief Arakawa added that at this time, officers do not have any evidence that Sandoval committed crimes on school campuses, but they do believe there could be more victims because he was around so many kids.
Sandoval is being held on $7 million bail in downtown L.A. His next court appearance is Aug. 13.
Anyone with information about Sandoval or possible additional victims should call the South Gate Police Department at (323) 563-5436. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or go to www.lacrimestoppers.com.
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