Fired high school theater director from Anaheim accused of sexual battery on students

The former theater director at Eleanor Roosevelt High in Eastvale was arrested Thursday, Nov. 16, after a months-long investigation into reports that the Anaheim resident had inappropriate contact with students.

Chad Costello, 44, was arrested on suspicion of two felony counts of sexual battery, four misdemeanor counts of sexual battery for purposes of arousal and four counts of misdemeanor annoying or molesting a child, according to the Riverside County jail log. He was being held at Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on Thursday in lieu of $75,000.

The Riverside County sheriff’s investigation began in April.

The Corona-Norco Unified School District said in a news release that it learned of the allegations on April 11. The release did not identify the teacher but it linked to the sheriff’s release that named Costello as the suspect.

“The teacher was immediately placed on administrative leave, and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department was contacted. The teacher never returned to the classroom,” the district said.

Costello was hired on Aug. 5, 2021, and was released from the district’s two-year probationary period on June 30, 2023, said Evita Tapia-Gonzalez, a district spokeswoman. She said Costello taught theater. A story on the district website about Roosevelt’s performance at a competition in Orange County described Costello as the theater director.

“This news is disheartening and upsetting to us all,” the district said in its release. “Corona-Norco Unified School District has zero tolerance for any behavior that endangers our students. To reinforce our commitment, the school district is expanding our comprehensive training programs focused on preventing and addressing matters of this nature. These initiatives aim to educate staff, students, and parents about the various aspects of respectful behavior and reporting procedures.”

It was unclear whether that statement was referencing any problems related to any failure to report suspected abuse as is required by the state’s mandated reporter laws.

The Sheriff’s Department asks anyone with information on the case to call Investigator J. Andrade at 951-955-1701.

Source: Orange County Register