El Dorado County special education driver pleads not guilty to sexual assault of mentally dependent adult
EL DORADO COUNTY — An El Dorado County special education driver pleaded not guilty Monday to several counts of sexually assaulting a mentally dependent adult, prosecutors announced.
Tarik Rasheed Manasrah, 42, was arrested last Friday in Placerville in an investigation that began back on May 31 after the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office received a report regarding allegations made against Manasrah, who was employed by the county Office of Education.
Manasrah was arraigned on nine charges including the oral copulation and sexual penetration of an incompetent person, sodomy of an incompetent person, sodomy by use of force, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by use of force, sexual battery by restraint, sexual battery masturbation, and lewd act on dependent adult.
Charges describe the victims as "incapable" because of "mental disorder or developmental or physical disability."
The charges come with circumstances in aggravation, that list that the crimes involved great bodily harm or threat, and cruelty. These aggravating circumstances also outline the victim was particularly vulnerable "and/or The manner in which the crime was carried out indicates planning, sophistication, or professionalism."
A pre-preliminary hearing is scheduled for the morning of August 28 with another set for September 25, according to the district attorney's office. Manasrah remains jailed without the opportunity for bail.
Manasrah had been a special education transportation driver for the county since October 2021. Representatives from the El Dorado County District Attorney's Office Victim Witness Unit are now contacting the families of students that Manasrah drove.
Currently the criminal investigation is ongoing and anyone with additional information regarding Manasrah or this investigation is requested to contact Detective M. Sosa at (530) 642-4711 or sosam@edso.org.