A former night-shift custodian for the Chula Vista Elementary School District is behind bars on $3 million bail after San Diego police arrested him last week on a sweeping set of child sex charges. Edward Damean Puga, 23, was booked into the George Bailey Detention Facility in Otay Mesa and is now facing 19 felony counts. Authorities have not released specific details about when or where the alleged incidents occurred.
According to investigators, Puga was arrested last Thursday and booked on 19 child-molestation charges. The case includes nine counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a person under 14; three counts of sexual intercourse or sodomy with a person 10 or younger; three counts of sodomy with a person under 16; and one count each of oral copulation on a person 14 or younger, forcible sex with a foreign object, continuous sexual abuse of a child, and possession of child pornography, as reported by 10News.
Investigators' Update
San Diego Police Department Sgt. Saum Poorsaleh said the department's Child Abuse Unit "does not believe there are any other victims from the school" where Puga worked part-time. At the same time, detectives said they believe there may be a second victim whose case is still under review. Puga was taken into custody by SDPD detectives and is being held at the county's George Bailey Detention Facility, with bail set at $3 million, officials said. As the investigation continues, the department has not released additional information, as reported by 10News.
Local Context
The arrest lands in the middle of a broader reckoning over educator abuse cases in San Diego County. In 2025, a former local teacher was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for sexually assaulting students, a high-profile case that highlighted prosecutors' focus on misconduct in schools and the severe penalties that can follow. That sentencing was reported by AP News.
What Happens Next
The allegations against Puga are all felony counts, so the case will move through the county criminal court system. Under the law, he remains presumed innocent while the charges are litigated. His bail is set at $3 million, and he is being held at the George Bailey Detention Facility in Otay Mesa, a county jail that houses inmates accused of serious offenses. Facility details are available through the San Diego County Sheriff's Office.
San Diego police are asking anyone with information related to the case to contact the department's Child Abuse Unit. Hoodline will continue to track public filings and court records and will update this story as more official information becomes available.
