Photo: FLLewis / Media City G — John Burroughs High School 1920 West Clark Avenue Burbank June 6, 2015
For the third time in 10 months, an employee or former employee of a high school in Burbank has been arrested for alleged sexual misconduct with a minor. The latest arrest took place yesterday. Burbank Police say Jose Banuelos Jr., an assistant baseball coach at John Burroughs High School and part-time employee of Burbank Parks and Recreation Department, was taken into custody in the parking lot of Ralph’s supermarket 2600 West Victory Boulevard. Banuelos, 28, was “in possession of a loaded handgun at the time of his arrest,” according to a police news release.
The investigation began last Thursday, when the family of a 17 year-old female Burroughs student contacted police. During the questioning, the girl reportedly told officers she had been having an on-going “consensual” sexual relationship with Banuelos. Police say that relationship “dates back about 2 ½ years when the victim was 15 years old.”
Banuelos, a Burbank resident, was booked on several charges including having sexual relations with a minor, acts of oral copulation with a minor, lewd acts on a minor. His bail was set at $325,000. Banuelos is due to appear in a Burbank court next Tuesday. Burbank Police spokesman, Sergeant Claudio Losacco, told Media City Groove the suspect “is no longer employed by BUSD.” Also, Banuelos’ employment status with the City of Burbank is unclear at this time, according to Drew Sugars, Burbank’s public information officer.
Last June, Kyle Roach, a former girls’ volleyball coach at Burbank High School and Clarke Surrey, an ex-Burroughs employee, were arrested for inappropriate conduct with female students. In January of 2016, Roach reportedly pleaded no contest to one count of oral copulation of a minor and was sentenced to 90 days in jail. Last month, Surrey pleaded no contest to one count of unlawful sexual intercourse and was sentenced to one year behind bars.
BUSD Superintendent, Matt Hill, was contacted by email and asked for reaction to the Banuelos arrest. Hill said: “Unfortunately, I cannot comment on an ongoing police investigation at this time.”
Burbank Police are asking anyone with information to contact Detective John Voorhis at (818) 238-3210 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222TIPS (8477) to remain anonymous.
