Warrant reveals teacher may have additional victims

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Newly released search warrants reveal a teacher under investigation for sexual contact with a student is also suspected of inappropriate contact with at least one other underage girl. It's a story you'll only see on Action News.

Five months ago, police arrested 25-year-old Anthony Lepore on charges of sexual assault against a 16-year-old girl. But prosecutors still have not filed charges.

Anthony Lepore has walked the hallways of the Fresno County courthouse, but not yet as a defendant. The former math teacher and head boys basketball coach at Parlier High School bailed out of jail after police arrested him in January and to this point, prosecutors have not filed charges against him.

"To me, if charges haven't been filed yet, there's something wrong with the case," said ABC30 legal analyst Tony Capozzi. "The DA or the prosecution or the police is looking for something more."

But two search warrants reveal why he was arrested and how the investigation uncovered evidence of another alleged crime. The initial warrant served in January says Lepore admitted to picking up a 16-year-old student at her house not long after he finished coaching a basketball game. Police say he told them he dropped her off at about 2 a.m. and had a brief dispute with the girl's parents, who were waiting for her to come home.

Capozzi says the admission isn't direct evidence of a crime, but it can be a piece of a prosecution.

"Those are factors that would come into evidence to show he was actually with this girl at 2 o'clock in the morning," he said. "That leads to some kind of circumstantial evidence."

Lepore wouldn't say much else to police, but according to the warrant, the girl said she and Lepore engaged in sexual activity in his truck. Police arrested Lepore the next day and seized his phone.

In a second warrant, detectives say the phone revealed Facebook messages between Lepore and a different 15-year-old girl. Investigators say Lepore intended to commit illegal sex acts, and even sent the girl a link to an explicit photo.

"They'll be following up with those students or juveniles and what they're saying and is it similar to what's happening with this young lady," Capozzi said. "If that's the case it will buttress it will help the DA in prosecuting the first case."

The district attorney's office says it doesn't comment on ongoing investigations. The statute of limitations for filing a sexual assault is six years.

Lepore's attorney told Action News he just wants the DA's office to make a decision instead of leaving Lepore in limbo.

An attorney representing the initial victim in a potential civil case told Action News the family is not ready to talk about what happened.