Full Notification

DATE/TIME: August 23, 2018

INCIDENT: PC 288.2- Sending Harmful Matter to a Minor
PC 288.3- Arrange to Meet Minor for Sexual Acts
PC 288.4- Meet Minor for Sexual Acts

LOCATION: City of Rancho Cucamonga

SUSPECTS: Charles Patrick Mayer, 55-years-old from Menifee

SUMMARY:
***** UPDATE *****

On Tuesday, August 21, 2018, the case was presented to the District Attorney’s Office for review. As a result of the evidence obtained to this point, the DA filed two Felony counts, PC 288.2 & PC 288.4, against Charles Mayer.

On Wednesday, August 22, 2018, Charles Mayer was arraigned in San Bernardino County Superior Court – Rancho Cucamonga Division, on his charges and was held in lieu of Bail pending a further court hearing on Monday, August 27, 2018, in Department S-15.

Through investigation, detectives learned that Charles Mayer was ordained as a priest of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 1996 and served at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Northridge, CA from 1996-2000. He has been on in-active leave as a priest, not in ministry, since September of 2000 due to a failure to adhere to Archdiocesan policies concerning interaction with youth and young adults.

Detectives have been in contact with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and they have fully cooperated with our investigation.

Detectives also learned that Charles Mayer previously taught at and was the Vice Principal at various religious-based schools in the cities of Menifee and Vista, CA since 2000.

Detectives were made aware of possible inappropriate behavior involving students at those schools, and possible students within the Banning School District. Detectives are looking into those reports to determine if criminal acts occurred.

Detectives have been in contact with officials from the Banning School District, and they are fully cooperating with our investigation.

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Rancho Cucamonga Police Detectives were using an unmonitored social media account on an unrelated investigation. Charles Mayer initiated a conversation and started chatting on the site with who he believed to be a 14-year-old boy. The account is actually an undercover law enforcement account used by detectives for various investigations.

Detectives and Mayer chatted back and forth for five days, during which time Mayer sent nude pictures of himself to the decoy and wanted the decoy to come back to his residence in Menifee for the weekend where they could engage in sexual acts. Mayer made arrangements to meet the decoy at an agreed upon location in Rancho Cucamonga, where he could pick the decoy up to go back to his residence for the night.

On Friday, August 17, 2018 at about 4:30 p.m., Mayer drove from his place of employment in Banning, CA to the agreed upon meeting location where detectives were waiting. Mayer was arrested and booked into the West Valley Detention Center and is being held in lieu of $1,000,000 bail.

Further investigation revealed that Mayer is employed at Nicolet Middle School within the Banning Unified School District. Mayer was recently appointed Dean of Students for the 2018-19 school year. Prior to that, he was a teacher at Nicolet Middle School.

Detectives are concerned Mayer has previously met with and engaged in sexual acts with other teenage boys and are releasing his photo. If anyone recognizes Mayer or has information pertinent to this investigation, they are urged to contact the Detective’s Bureau at the Rancho Cucamonga Police Department. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME.

Refer: Detective Donald Patton
Station: Rancho Cucamonga Police Department
Phone No: (909) 477-2800
Case No: 111810624

John McMahon, Sheriff-Coroner
San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department