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Palo Alto resident Anthony Gutierrez-Molina was arraigned on March 6. Courtesy San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.

The former athletic director at the now-shuttered Everest Charter School in North Fair Oaks was arrested after the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office said two former students accused him of having sexual relations with them when they were minors. 

On March 6, Palo Alto resident Anthony Gutierrez-Molina, 31, was charged with 17 felonies, including 12 counts of statutory rape, in San Mateo County Superior Court. In January, a former student told police they had sex beginning when the victim was 16, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Investigators said they later identified a second victim, who was also a minor at the start of their sexual relations. 

The Sheriff’s Office obtained an arrest warrant for Gutierrez-Molina on Feb. 27 and said he was located in Ladera on March 5. 

The Sheriff’s Office said the crimes allegedly occurred between 2023 and 2025. Everest, where Gutierrez-Molina also served as community engagement manager, was a charter high school run by Summit Public Schools, which operates seven schools in California and Washington. It closed in 2025 due to low enrollment, according to school officials. 

The Sheriff’s Office said investigators do not believe Gutierrez-Molina has worked as an educator since Everest’s closure. 

According to a public profile viewed by this news organization, Gutierrez-Molina graduated from Woodside High School in 2013 and received an associate degree in communications from Cañada College in 2019. His previous jobs included a role as an assistant director at the Redwood City YMCA from September 2018 to August 2019. 

“Anthony G. Gutierrez Molina’s alleged conduct is reprehensible and totally contrary to Summit Public Schools’ mission, values and the way we run our schools,” said Summit spokesperson Izzy Mason in response to a request for comment. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the former students and their families who have been impacted by this. As always, our focus is on providing our students with a safe learning environment and the academic and developmental support they need to be successful students at Summit Public Schools and beyond.”

According to court records, Gutierrez-Molina’s bail was originally set at $500,000 and Judge Rosendo Padilla Jr. denied a motion to reduce bail on March 6 due to the nature of the allegations. 

Gutierrez-Molina’s next hearing is scheduled for March 25 in San Mateo County Superior Court in Redwood City. 

The Sheriff’s Office said that, based on the nature of the crimes, investigators believe there may be additional victims and encourage anyone with information to contact Detective Temo Gonzalez at cgonzalez4@smcgov.org or 650-363-4544. 

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with a comment from Summit Public Schools.

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Arden Margulis is a reporter for The Almanac, covering Menlo Park and Atherton. He first joined the newsroom in May 2024 as an intern. His reporting on the Las Lomitas School District won first place coverage...

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