Police in Southern California detained a driving school teacher for sexually abusing and surreptitiously recording students.
According to San Diego Sheriff's Department records, Richard Joseph Banks, an El Cajon American Driving School teacher during the alleged offenses, was arrested without bond on Friday.
El Cajon is 15 miles from downtown San Diego. The agency said Banks, 50, was detained Thursday on 32 felony counts related to the alleged acts and will be arraigned Tuesday.
According to documents, the alleged crimes include sexual violence, child abuse and molestation, child pornography possession and production, and secret recording device usage.
The San Diego Police Department, handling the investigation, was unavailable to USA TODAY early Friday morning. Prosecutors allege high school instructor offered student all "100s" for sex.
The students were 15-17, police said. However, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Banks sexually attacked or molested 11 underage females from April to November last year.
Capt. Mike Holden informed the outlet that most of the claimed victims were 15–17 years old and that the molestations occurred in northern San Diego County and inside San Diego police authority.
On Jan. 11, 2024, authorities arrested a Southern California driving school teacher for surreptitiously filming and sexually abusing students.
The San Diego prison held El Cajon-based American Driving School teacher Richard Joseph Banks without bond. The driving school's owner, David Tackett, told USA TODAY Friday that he was "shocked to learn about the allegations" against Banks.