Anthony Valerio
SANTA CLARA COUNTY – The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of a wanted suspect thought to have raped a developmentally disabled female while she attended a local high school. On July 24, 2017, a warrant was served to the suspect.
The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office arrested 42-year-old Anthony Valerio after the victim’s parents believed that their daughter had been sexually assaulted by the suspect. According to Lieutenant James Jensen with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, “Valerio was the victim’s “Life Coach” and a school employee of Calero High School.
Reports of the arrest came after a lengthy investigation into the alleged rape. The case was handed over to the Sheriff’s Office Sexual Assault Investigation Unit after the parents of the young woman realized what was happening to their daughter.
The SAIU began to investigate further into a possible sexual assault perpetrated by Valerio in August of 2016. As allegations came to light, that a possible sexual assault had occurred, Valerio was let go from his position at the school by the East Side Union High School District.
Due to the mental and physical disability of the victim, an act of consensual sex was thought to have been likely coerced. The Sheriff’s Office has stated that detectives are investigating to determine if there are other victims that may have fell victim to Valerio while in his care.
If you have any information about Valerio for this investigation, please contact the Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau at (408) 808-4500 or tip-line at (408) 808-4431.
