A 27-year-old Chino police officer was arrested on Thursday, July 10, after being accused of inappropriate conduct with two students at a junior high school where he was assigned as a school resource officer, the Chino Police Department said.
Matthew Victor Solano was charged Wednesday with lewd and lascivious acts on a minor, a felony, in connection with one of the students, and annoying or molesting a child, a misdemeanor, in connection with the other.
Solano was arrested at West Valley Detention Center and posted bail. Messages were left for him via voicemail and email, but he could not be reached for comment Friday. San Bernardino County Superior Court records do not list an attorney who could speak for Solano. No court date has been set.
Solano was placed on unpaid administrative leave when administrators at Magnolia Junior High in the Chino Valley Unified School District brought the allegations to police in January, Police Chief Kevin Mensen said in a news release.
Court records list the violation dates as Oct. 30 and Dec. 18, 2024.
The Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. No information on the specific actions alleged to have occurred could be released Friday, said Gloria Orejel, a department spokeswoman. An annoy/molest charge is usually associated with sexual comments that an average person would find disturbing.
Solano was assigned to Magnolia among other schools, said Sgt. Shauna Hill, a Police Department spokeswoman. Chino police hired Solano in December 2020, and he became a school resource officer and Drug Abuse Resistance Education officer in July 2023.
In April 2024, the school district posted a video to its Facebook page congratulating EJ Marshall Elementary students for graduating from a 10-week DARE program led by Solano.
“We hold our officers to the highest standards and condemn these alleged actions in the strongest possible terms,” Mensen said in the release. “The Chino Police Department understands the deep concern this causes in our community, and we are committed to full transparency, cooperation, and accountability. … We are conducting a comprehensive review of our internal policies related to school resource officers, including selection, supervision, and training protocols.”
Chino Valley Unified Superintendent Norm Enfield praised the Police Department for participating in DARE, Students Against Drunk Driving and the annual parent information forum.
“At this time, I would like to strongly encourage all CVUSD students and families to report any suspicious or potentially threatening activity as soon as possible,” Enfield said in a news release. “This unfortunate incident has highlighted the importance of fostering a strong collaboration and channel of communication between school and home.”
Investigators ask anyone with information on the case to call 909-387-3700.
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