Ramona High Aide Arrested on Suspicion of Molesting South Bay Boy

A 69-year-old teacher's aide employed at Ramona High School was behind bars Wednesday on suspicion of molesting a 15-year-old boy over several months.

Robert Buechner of Ramona was arrested at his workplace on Tuesday, according to police in Chula Vista, where the teen lives in a group home for at- risk youths.

Buechner, who is married and has several adult children, met the alleged victim through a member of the boy's family, Capt. Gary Wedge said.

"The victim did not attend Ramona High, nor is there any reason to believe students at the school were also victimized," the captain said.

The aide was a 7 1/2-year employee of Ramona Unified School District. He resigned from his part-time post the day of his arrest, according to RUSD Superintendent Robert Graeff.

Graeff told Patch that Buechner had worked under the supervision of classroom teachers with students in grades 9-12, in a 20-hours-a-week capacity.

Buechner who has no known prior criminal history, allegedly committed the sex crimes at his home and in various other locations, including in Chula Vista, according to Wedge.

He was booked into San Diego Central Jail on 16 child molestation counts, including sodomy, oral copulation, penetration with a foreign object and lewd and lascivious acts with a person under age 16.

He was being held on $100,000 bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

On Tuesday, Buechner was escorted to the school office by staff at about noon, while students were at lunch. He met with Chula Vista police in the assistant principal’s office, and was arrested behind closed doors, Graeff stated.

"As always, we are cooperating fully with the authorities in their investigation and are gravely concerned whenever an employee is alleged to be involved in inappropriate or illegal conduct with minors," Graeff told Patch by email.

"We are relieved that none of the charges currently include students enrolled in Ramona," Graeff stated. "Obviously, we will continue to work closely with authorities if additional information is required. Our teachers and staff will also continue to educate students – as always – on how to safeguard themselves against unwanted advances by adults on or off campus and the importance of reporting any behavior which they feel is in appropriate."

Ramona High principal Tony Newman sent a message to parents by phone reflecting the same information. Parents with questions or concerns can contact one of the administrators on the campus, he stated.

-- City News Service contributed to this report.