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Salinas elementary school music teacher convicted of lewd acts with a minor

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June 16, 2025 6:40 PM
Published 12:00 PM

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) - A former music teacher from Salinas has been convicted of eight counts of lewd acts toward victims under 14.

44-year-old Jonathon Charles Sandoval Griffin now faces a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

Griffin, a music teacher working at Boronda Meadows Elementary and Roosevelt Elementary, was reported in 2023 for inappropriate conduct with a minor. Griffin was then arrested on December 15 of that year.

Griffin will return to court on June 27 for sentencing.

Salinas elementary school music teacher pleads not guilty for lewd acts with a minor, DA's office said

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV)- UPDATE ON APRIL 17, 2024 AT 3:09 P.M.- On Wednesday, a Salinas City Elementary School District music teacher pled not guilty to nine counts of lewd acts with a minor, according to the Monterey County District Attorney's Office.

Jonathan Charles Sandoval Griffin is accused of inappropriate conduct with multiple minors. Salinas Police arrested Griffin on December 15.

Police said the investigation started in October when they received a report of Griffin conducting inappropriate behavior with several minors.

A spokesperson with the Salinas City Elementary School District confirmed to KION that Griffin worked at Boronda Meadows Elementary and Roosevelt Elementary Schools when he was arrested in December.

The school district said that Griffin has been put on unpaid administrative leave.

The Monterey County District Attorney's Office said that Griffin will appear in court on June 5 for a conference pretrial.

Salinas Elementary School Music Teacher arrested for lewd acts with a minor, police say

A Salinas City Elementary School District music teacher was arrested on Friday for lewd acts with a minor according to Salinas Police.

Officers said they started investigating 43-year-old Jonathon Sandoval Griffin in October after they received a report of inappropriate conduct with several minors involving Griffin.

Investigators say that Griffin works at multiple Salinas City Elementary School District schools.

Salinas City Elementary School District told KION that since this is a criminal investigation, they are not allowed to comment at this time.

Police said that the investigation is ongoing at the moment. If you have any information regarding this case, you are asked to contact Detective Ermelinda Reyes at 831-758-7971 or email her at ermelindar@ci.salinas.ca.us.

If you want provide tips, you can call the Salinas Police Department Tip Line at 831-775-4222.

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Derrick Ow

Assignment Editor for KION News Channel 5/46

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Sergio Berrueta

Sergio Berrueta has been in the news for quite awhile going from studying print media to entering the realm of broadcast.

Originally from Bell Gardens, California, in Southeast Los Angeles. Berrueta started his professional news career in Eureka as a newscast producer for North Coast News (now The Northstate’s News) at KAEF ABC 23 in 2022. He pivoted a year later in 2022 going from behind-the-scenes to in front of the camera as a multimedia journalist for Redwood News Channel 3 (KIEM/KVIQ) also in Eureka.

Berrueta studied journalism at Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt) earning his Bachelor’s Degree. Berrueta was a staff writer, page editor, social media manager and editor-in-chief of the university’s El Lenador, the only bilingual publication in all of Humboldt County.

Before moving to the North Coast, Berrueta had earned his Associate’s Degree at East Los Angeles College in 2019 after beginning his educational journey in 2012. He also was on staff for the ELAC’s publication, ELAC Campus News, having been a staff writer, page editor, and online editor.

Outside of news experience, Berrueta has also been in education as an AmeriCorps tutor in East Hollywood from 2017 to 2019 and served in a government role as a National Hometown Fellow for Lead for America with the City of Arcata in 2021.

When not focusing on news, Berrueta is an avid amateur cinephile having written about films in free time. He also writes poetry, attempting to get through a backlog of video games, enjoys visiting new places along the California Coast, and trying to keep up with the latest music and podcasts.

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