A 27-year-old South Gate man who worked at dozens of schools and child care settings in Los Angeles County has been charged with the alleged yearslong sexual abuse of two boys, and officials believe there may be more possible victims.
Andrew Louie Sandoval is accused of sexually assaulting the two minors, who were between the ages of 4 and 9 years old, on different occasions from November 2015 until this year, the District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.
“The abhorrent nature of these crimes against children and the defendant’s employment in schools and childcare settings is of tremendous concern, and we are asking for anyone who may have additional information to come forward,” District Attorney George Gascón said.
Officials with the South Gate and Los Angeles police departments said their investigations into Sandoval, who was arrested on July 24, have led them to believe there may be additional victims.
As part of an ongoing investigation, law enforcement is reaching out to dozens of Los Angeles County schools and child care centers where Sandoval worked to “verify the scope and duration of his duties,” the DA’s Office stated.
Investigators are still compiling a list of all the facilities where Sandoval was employed and said they will release that list once it is verified.
Sandoval was charged with seven counts of lewd acts upon a child under age 14, one count of sodomy with a child 10 years old or younger, two counts of oral copulation with a child 10 years old or younger and one count of possession of child pornography.
Sandoval was allegedly in possession of more than 600 images of child or youth porn, the DA’s Office said.
He is scheduled to be arraigned on Aug. 13 at the Norwalk Courthouse and is being held on more than $7 million bail.
Sandoval faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.