BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Police records obtained by 23ABC detail complaints made against the North High equipment manager, Edwin Rodriguez's began as early as March 2018.
Documents show that school officials began contacting Rodriguez about his inappropriate behavior as early as March 2. In the initial complaint a student told officials that she felt uncomfortable with a member of personnel watching her cheerleading practice.
An official reported that on March 2, Rodriguez was informed that a cheerleader was uncomfortable with the amount of time he was spending at the practices and that "he should find work elsewhere." Rodriguez complied and left practice.
Another complaint was made against Rodriguez at the end of March when a parent reported to school officials that Rodriguez had brought Starbucks to a student at home. Rodriguez reported that he had "owed Starbucks and was in the area." He was told to cease text messages with the student and to not meet with them at their home again.
In May, Rodriguez was spoken with regarding his continued presence at cheer practice. He was told he needed to "continue to do his job and to not attend cheer practices." He was advised of insubordination and that he needed to maintain professional boundaries.
In September, a report was received concerning a possibly physical altercation between a parent and staff member related to text messages between a student and Rodriguez. According to documents, the student reported to a parent that the content of the text messages was "concerning and potentially lewd."
The documents continue, detailing on September 25 that "pictures and videos of private parts were sent by Rodriguez but they were not saved."
On September 26, KCSO was notified of the situation. Detectives were advised that the student's phone was in her possession and had both screenshots and Snapchat message threads that confirmed the inappropriate comments Rodriguez sent to the student. Detectives were also notified of the other female students that had reported the same acts. According to a report made on the same day, 274 screenshots had been discovered with other students. Documents say that messages included Rodriguez asking "if she wanted to come with him in the shower and that she was f***able"
The police records show that an additional complaint had been made when a student reported to her mother that while on a camping trip with Rodriguez and two other female students, Rodriguez "rubbed student's stomach under her shirt while she was sleeping." She reported that "the night prior she had been sleeping next to her friend and the next night Rodriguez had moved her sleeping bag next to him." She said that the inappropriate contact continued and she tried to move around to pretend to be asleep. That is when Rodriguez stopped. Evidence was then presented of Rodriguez apologizing to the student via Snapchat private messages if "he had made her feel uncomfortable."
A report was made on September 28 where a student reported that both a student and parent had witnessed Rodriguez "going under cheerleaders shirts to massage their shoulders and grope their breast."
In November 2018 a student reportedly went to the Deans Office talking with his former girlfriend to report that during a football practice, after breaking up with his girlfriend, Rodriguez attempted and continuously threatened to engage in a physical altercation.
On December 21, a student reported to officials that her best friend had received "lewd and inappropriate text messages on several occasions" from Rodriguez while in high school and since graduating. According to another report made in the documents, a student reported to school officials on September 27 that she had 1,05 text messages between her and Rodriguez. Some of the text messages included "videos of Edwin Rodriguez masturbating."
Reports of inappropriate conduct continued in January 2019 when a student reported to officials that Rodriguez would call her out of class and would inappropriately touch her. The student reported that in addition to the inappropriate touching, Edwin would ask the student via Snapchat to give him "oral sex" and he would ask the student to "touch his penis." According to that report, he shared "over 50 videos of him masturbating."
In January, a student reported to officials that during the summer while alone in his training room, Rodriguez would shut off the lights and "forcefully grabbed the back of her head and made several attempts to shove it in his groin area."
Criminal charges have been filed against Rodriguez. He's been charged with eight felony counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child 14 to 15 years old.
The Kern County District Attorney's office says there's at least 10 victims in the case.
