A Glendora woman who works as a preschool teacher has been arrested and faces child sex abuse charges related to an alleged sexual relationship with a 15-year-old and possession of child pornography.
Sherry Bernal, 33, was arrested by officers from the West Covina Police Department on Thursday as part of an investigation alongside the Department of Homeland Security, as reported by KTLA.
Bernal, a preschool teacher at Hope Lutheran Church and School, became the subject of an investigation after she was allegedly engaged in an "inappropriate relationship with a 15-year-old male juvenile," authorities said. According to Bernal's Facebook profile, she is married and has a 3-year-old son.
She was taken into custody and has been charged with possession of obscene material involving a minor in a sexual act, use of underage person for obscene material, harmful matter of a minor with sexual intent, contact with a minor with an intent for sex and arranging to meet a minor for sexual purposes, according to West Covina police.
She was being held at the West Covina Police Department on $180,000 bail, but has since been released on bond, police said. Her next court date has been set for Monday at 8:30 a.m. at Citrus Municipal Court in West Covina, jail records show.
The investigation is ongoing and the West Covina Police Department is urging anyone with information about the case to come forward. The Police Department decided to release her booking photo as part of the investigation.
