Yesterday, the Santa Rosa Police Department's Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Team apprehended Apolinario Araki "Junior" Santos, a 61-year-old Santa Rosa man, on charges involving multiple lewd acts against a 20-year-old female with developmental disabilities. Santos, an Instructional Assistant for the Transition Program at Ridgway High School, was taken into custody following an investigation into accusations of inappropriate behavior with a program participant meant to equip young adults with job and life skills.
The initial report surfaced on April 14, after Santa Rosa City Schools administrators were alerted of the incident by an employer partner of the Transition Program, Santos, who had been accused of inappropriately touching the victim, the SRPD conducted a preliminary probe confirming the allegations through video evidence and officers determined that the touching was sexually motivated though they couldn't act until a full investigation was completed, which was meticulously executed by the detective assigned to the case. According to a social media post by the Santa Rosa Police, the detective established that Santos willfully touched the intimate parts of the victim without her consent, with the added vulnerability of the victim's inability to consent because of her developmental disability.
The case was reviewed by the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office, and a warrant for Santos' arrest was issued last Tuesday. Santos was arrested at his residence yesterday around 3:06 PM, then booked into the Sonoma County jail facing six felony and four misdemeanor counts of 288(c)(2) PC, which pertains to lewd acts against a dependent adult by a caretaker. The Santa Rosa Police Department, understanding the gravity of this issue and its potential impacts on families whose loved ones are enrolled in the vulnerable demographic served by the Transition Program, encourages parents to speak with their children about body boundaries, consent, and recognizing inappropriate behavior.
The investigation has spurred the SRPD to reach out to the community for any additional information that may assist the ongoing inquiry into Santos' actions, asking anyone with relevant details to contact the SRPD Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Team at 707-543-3595 or through their online tip submission at srcity.org/CrimeTips.
