A Modesto special-education paraprofessional is behind bars on six felony counts alleging sexual misconduct with a minor, authorities say. The 25-year-old staff member, assigned to Gregori High School, was arrested Friday and booked into jail, with bail set at $800,000 while detectives look into whether any other students were involved.
According to CBS Sacramento, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office received a report about a suspected inappropriate relationship on Thursday and quickly opened an investigation. Deputies identified 25-year-old Rian Johnston as the suspect and believe the first incident occurred in November 2025. Johnston was arrested the next day and booked on six felony charges of sexual misconduct with a minor under 18, with bail set at $800,000, the outlet reports.
Assigned to Gregori High
School records list a staff member named Rian Johnston-Rand as an instructional paraprofessional serving special-education students at Joseph A. Gregori High School, according to the Gregori High staff directory. That listing matches the sheriff’s description that the suspect worked primarily with special-education students in Modesto City Schools.
Charges and investigation
Detectives with the sheriff’s office are now working to determine whether there are additional victims and have urged anyone with information to reach out to law enforcement. As CBS Sacramento notes, the arrest followed a tip that triggered the probe, and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office website provides contact and reporting options for members of the public.
Broader concerns about oversight
Johnston’s arrest comes amid broader scrutiny in California over how complaints of sexual misconduct by educators are handled. A joint investigation by KQED and ProPublica recently identified dozens of cases in which educators stayed licensed or were rehired even after districts found they had engaged in sexual misconduct, raising tough questions about transparency and safeguards across school systems.
The sheriff’s office says the case remains an active investigation, and anyone with information is urged to contact the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office. This story will be updated as officials release additional details.
