Palo Alto Police Arrest Private Math Tutor For Allegedly Molesting Female Students
PALO ALTO (CBS SF) -- Acting on complaints from several former female students, Palo Alto police detectives have arrested a 74-year-old man on charges he sexually molested the teenagers at his residence during private math lessons between the years of 2002 and 2016.
Investigators said the abuse took place several years ago and seven victims have come forward. Police believe it is possible other victims may exist as well.
Mark Allan Hodes has been booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on nine felony counts of lewd acts with a minor aged 14 or 15.
On June 9, two women in their twenties came to the Palo Alto Police Department to report that they had both been sexually molested by a private math tutor several years earlier when they teenagers.
The ensuing investigation led to the identification of seven separate total victims, all girls between the ages of 14 and 17 when the crimes allegedly occurred.
Investigators said the victims told them that Hodes had touched them inappropriately while they were at his house in Palo Alto receiving tutoring.
Detectives presented the case to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office and a judge issued an arrest warrant.
On Tuesday, detectives arrested Hodes without incident at his home in the 4100 block of Manuela Avenue in Palo Alto. This is the
same location where the victims said the abuse occurred.
Detectives believe it is possible Hodes victimized additional students of similar age based on the similarity of the allegations and the regular private access that the suspect had to students in his home.
Detectives are aware that Hodes provided private tutoring services to students who attended Castilleja School, Palo Alto High School, Gunn High School, and Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School (note: this school serves younger students, grades kindergarten through 8; the youngest victim of which we are currently aware was 14).
They said it was possible he tutored students who attended other schools as well. The suspect was never employed by these schools, only by the parents of the students he tutored. Police encourage anyone who may have been victimized to contact the Palo Alto Police Department.
Anyone with information about these cases is asked to call our 24-hour dispatch center a 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984. Tips can also be submitted anony
