A Carmichael elementary school counselor now facing a slate of child sex abuse charges stayed on the San Juan Unified payroll and pulled in roughly $70,000 while on administrative leave, according to records reviewed by local reporters. Wonyoung Kim was arrested in February 2025 after detectives began connecting reports from a Roseville church with accounts from students at Charles Peck Elementary, authorities say. A new civil lawsuit filed this month adds fresh allegations about conduct on school grounds, and the criminal case is currently set for trial in April. Families and school leaders say they are still reeling and pressing the district for clearer answers on how complaints were handled.
Prosecutors say Kim faces 10 felony counts, including eight counts of lewd acts on a child under 14 and two counts alleging lewd acts by force, according to KCRA. Detectives say the investigation began in September 2024, after a report to Roseville police about an incident at Bayside Church where Kim was volunteering with youth. It widened when students at Charles Peck Elementary came forward, and the sheriff's office has said investigators are worried there are additional victims who have not yet reported and are urging anyone with information to speak up.
San Juan Unified officials confirmed Kim had worked as a counselor at Charles Peck Elementary since August 2020 and that he was placed on leave in September 2024, according to district statements to local outlets. Staff have been assisting law enforcement, and families have been offered counseling and other support services, CBS Sacramento reported. At the same time, district leaders have repeatedly stressed that personnel decisions are confidential and say they will not weigh in on ongoing lawsuits.
New Lawsuit and Payroll Revelations
A civil complaint filed this month in Sacramento Superior Court alleges misconduct in 2023 and 2024 while one student was 10 and 11 years old. The lawsuit describes repeated incidents in which Kim allegedly pulled the girl out of class, shut blinds and doors, and forced her to sit on his lap during supposed counseling sessions, according to The Sacramento Bee. The Bee also reports that district payroll records show Kim earned about $70,000 while on paid administrative leave beginning in September 2024. The civil suit seeks damages while the criminal case continues to move through the courts.
Charges and Investigation Timeline
Detectives told reporters that multiple students reported inappropriate conduct during counseling sessions and that some classmates described Kim as "creepy" after he allegedly commented on children's appearances, according to KCRA. Investigators say the arrests and charges followed months of interviews. Law enforcement officials also noted that Kim had worked at other schools and at a Sacramento Korean language and cultural school, adding to concerns that there could be additional victims who have not yet come forward.
San Juan Unified has repeated that the reasons for Kim's leave are considered confidential personnel matters and that the district does not comment on pending litigation, district spokesperson Raj Rai told The Sacramento Bee. The Bee reports that Kim remains on the district payroll while on leave and that a criminal trial is set to begin on April 13, 2026. District officials say they will keep cooperating with investigators while trying to respond to rising community concerns and shaken trust.
Authorities are asking anyone with information or who believes they may be a victim to contact the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers. Local outlets have shared tip lines for the case, including the sheriff's office at (916) 874-5115 and Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-4357, according to CBS Sacramento. The sheriff's office says its Child Abuse Bureau detectives are continuing the investigation as both the criminal and civil cases move forward. Parents, meanwhile, are calling for clearer district policies so that any future allegations involving staff are handled swiftly and transparently.
