Photo: Brandon Genest
WALNUT CREEK — A private school teacher moonlighting as a babysitter faces child molestation charges.
The teacher allegedly found victims by registering as an independent contractor for companies offering on-demand babysitting services. Hence he used several social media apps and websites to establish contact with parents.
An investigation revealed that the suspect was regularly babysitting for numerous families throughout Contra Costa and Alameda counties.
Certainly it was an unusual arrangement. He’s one of the few males registered with several companies offering to match babysitters with parents. Police say he advertised on Sittercity, UrbanSitter and Care.com.
Allegations about the suspect teacher/babysitter surfaced in May and authorities launched an investigation.
As a result, the child victims claim the teacher encouraged them to touch him in inappropriate ways. The subsequent inquiry of this led Walnut Creek police to obtain arrest warrants for the alleged pedophile.
Officers arrested Brandon Genest, 27, at his residence in Walnut Creek on June 4. He works for Bentley School at its Lafayette high school campus. As it happens, officers making the arrest also found child pornography at Genest’s home.
The school has since placed the moonlighting babysitter on administrative leave.
Genest faces multiple charges for committing a lewd upon a child, annoying or molesting a child, indecent exposure, and possession of child pornography. He’s still in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility. A judge set bond for his release at $4,050,000.
