San Juan Unified School District Counselor Compensated Seventy Thousand Dollars While on Administrative Leave Following Felony Child Sexual Assault Charges

A Carmichael school counselor charged with felony child sexual assault has been paid seventy thousand dollars while on administrative leave from his district.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 2, 2026, 10:53 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The Sacramento Bee

Public Sector Compensation Protocols During Active Felony Investigations

The San Juan Unified School District is facing significant public scrutiny following the disclosure of payroll data related to an employee currently facing multiple counts of felony child sexual assault. The counselor, who worked at a school in Carmichael, was placed on administrative leave immediately after his arrest last year to ensure the safety of the student population. However, under existing labor laws and the specific language of the district’s contract with the teachers’ union, the employee has continued to receive his full salary while his case moves through the judicial system. This administrative reality has ignited a debate among Sacramento County taxpayers regarding the ethics of utilizing public funds to compensate individuals accused of violent crimes against children.

The Role of California Education Code in Salary Maintenance

The maintenance of salary for the counselor is not a discretionary decision by the local school board but is instead a mandate found within the California Education Code. These statutes are designed to protect the due process rights of public employees, ensuring that they are not financially penalized before a formal conviction is reached in a court of law. For tenured employees in the California school system, the removal of pay typically requires a completed administrative hearing or a definitive legal resolution. While the district has the authority to bar the employee from campus and contact with students, the financial obligations of the employment contract remain in effect until the legal threshold for termination is met.

Details of the Allegations and the Judicial Timeline

The charges against the Carmichael counselor are exceptionally grave, involving allegations of repeated sexual contact with a minor over a sustained period. Law enforcement officials in Sacramento County initiated the investigation following a report from a victim’s family, leading to a high priority arrest and the subsequent filing of several felony counts. The criminal trial has experienced multiple delays as both the prosecution and defense review a vast amount of digital and physical evidence. Because the legal process can often span several years in complex assault cases, the total amount of public compensation paid to the defendant while on leave is expected t...