By the Daily Post staff
Palo Alto police have arrested a tutor on suspicion of sexually molesting teenage girls at his residence during private math lessons.
Mark Allan Hodes, 74, was arrested Tuesday at his home at 4170 Manuela Ave. in Palo Alto.
The abuse happened several years ago, and seven victims have come forward, police said. Police believe it is possible other victims may exist as well.
On June 9, two women in their 20s came to the Police Department to report that they had both been sexually molested several years earlier when they were teenagers, police said.
An investigation led to the identification of seven victims, all girls between the ages of 14 and 17 who were molested between 2002 and 2016, police said.
The victims reported Hodes had touched them inappropriately while they were at his house on Manuela Avenue receiving tutoring, according to police.
Detectives presented the case to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, and a judge issued an arrest warrant for nine felony counts of lewd acts with a minor aged 14 or 15.
Police said it is possible the suspect molested other students of similar age. This is 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 the suspect had 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 police are currently aware was 14).
It is possible he tutored students who attended other schools as well, police said.
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 the case can call police at (650) 329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to [email protected] or sent via text message or voice mail to (650) 383-8984. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the Police Department’s free mobile app, downloadable at www.bit.ly/PAPD-AppStore or www.bit.ly/PAPD-GooglePlay.
If I’m reading this correctly, these alleged crimes happened between 4 and 18 years ago. That’s a long time to wait to report something like this.
I don’t think they waited that many years. They had two original accusers in June. Then, during the course of their investigation, the detectives found older accusers who never came forward years ago. That accounts for the timeline. That was enough for them to go to the judge and get an warrant.