![Police tape [Shutterstock/ Carl Ballou]](https://images.dailycaller.com/image/width=960,height=411,fit=cover,f=auto/https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/shutterstock_56280433-scaled-e1646660159334.jpg "Police tape [Shutterstock/ Carl Ballou]")
A California substitute teacher was arrested after he allegedly molested four students, police said Friday via a press release.
Peter Morales, 69, allegedly molested four female students between eight and nine years old while in a classroom at Adams Elementary School, the Santa Ana Police Department said in the press release. The children alerted school officials that they’d been touched inappropriately following the incident, leading to Morales’ arrest, also according to the release. Morales allegedly molested each victim individually and at different times in the day.
Morales was a teacher with the Santa Ana Unified School District for 18 years before he began substitute teaching, ABC 7 reported. In response to the alleged incident involving the four children, Morales has been removed from the list of substitute teachers, the outlet reported. Authorities also believe that there could be more alleged victims, according to the outlet. (RELATED: Teacher Charged With Allegedly Molesting Special Needs Student After Co-Worker Catches Him In Suspicious Position)
Morales’ bail was set for $100,000, according to the press release from the Santa Ana Police Department. He posted bail Saturday, ABC 7 reported.
A California teacher was arrested on suspicion of molesting four children. Peter Morales, 69, posted $100,000 bail after the arrest. https://t.co/f5uCzcoMfy
— KTVU (@KTVU) May 22, 2022
The alleged incident involving Morales follows a May 12 article published by CalMatters indicating how the COVID-19 omicron surge has amplified a substitute teacher staffing crisis in California, which has particularly impacted low-income, higher needs children.
From Jan. 1 to May 13 of this year, 135 teachers and aides in 41 states have been arrested for alleged crimes perpetrated against children. Of the 135 individuals arrested, 117 were teachers, 11 were teachers’ aides, and seven were substitute teachers, with the allegations made varying from child molestation to criminal sexual assault.
In 2021, a 27-year-old male teacher from Alabama was sentenced to prison after he allegedly attempted to get two students to have sex with him.