Custodian Held on Suspicion of Molestation

VILLA PARK — A Villa Park High School custodian was arrested early Sunday morning on suspicion of molesting a 9-year-old girl on campus during a swim meet the day before, according to school and sheriff’s officials.

Marco Antonio Reyes, 46, was arrested at 12:30 a.m. Sunday at his home in Orange, Lt. Larry Richey said. He was being held at the Orange County Jail.

Orange Unified School District Interim Supt. Richard L. Donoghue said the victim, who is from Huntington Beach, was on campus to either participate in or watch a swim meet at the school, at 18042 Taft Ave.

The girl was on her way to a restroom at about 2:30 p.m. Saturday when a man grabbed and threatened her with a pair of scissors. The man took her to a lounge area where he physically molested her, Richey said, adding that “the full extent of the molestation is still to be determined.”

The girl was examined at a hospital and released, Richey said.

Donoghue said Reyes has been a school custodian “for a few years--between two and five. We’re going to have to pull his file (today) to make sure.”

Donoghue will meet with attorneys for the school district today to discuss the incident. “Obviously, we want to give (Reyes) his proper rights, but on the other hand, we want to remove him from the work scene until we resolve the matter,” he said.

Sheriff’s investigators arrested Reyes based on a description, but they declined to say if the victim had provided it or if there were other witnesses.

“The investigation is continuing and we don’t want to jeopardize anything,” a sheriff’s official said.