Police: Arlington school employee arrested for stalking, having inappropriate contact with student

ARLINGTON, Va. (DC News Now) — A high school employee has been arrested for having inappropriate contact with a student in Arlington, according to police.

The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) said on May 28 that a criminal investigation was initiated. The department had received information that 31-year-old Rene Escobar, an instructional assistant at Washington-Liberty High School, had inappropriate contact with a female student in person and online.

ACPD said Escobar was arrested on July 1 and charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and stalking – his second offense in five years.

The investigation is still ongoing.

ACPD believes that there could be more victims because Escobar has an employment history that allows him to interact with juveniles at schools and community centers.

Anyone with information or who has had previous inappropriate encounters with him is asked to call 703-228-4244 or email syanda@arlingtonva.us.

In a statement sent to DC News Now, the Arlington County Public Schools said it takes “all allegations of misconduct seriously.”

“When APS was made aware of concerns about Mr. Escobar, we immediately removed him from the school environment and worked in conjunction with law enforcement during the investigation,” the statement read in part. “We want to assure our families, students and staff that student safety is our highest priority. We are deeply grateful to the Washington-Liberty school leadership team, APS Security and our partners in law enforcement for their swift, professional response. As a community, we remain committed to maintaining a culture of safety, trust and accountability.”