Youth leader suspected of lewd conduct

Deepa Bharath

NEWPORT BEACH -- Police arrested a 31-year-old city employee Wednesday

whom they suspect of engaging in lewd conduct with children who

participated in city recreational programs, officials said.

Trenton Michael Veches worked as a recreational coordinator for

Newport Beach, where he ran and supervised several after-school and

summer programs in which more than 600 children participated in the last

year.

Police said Veches, a resident of Huntington Beach, “inappropriately

touched” at least two children over the last four years he has worked

with the city.

Veches supervised programs at Mariners Park, West Newport Community

Center on 15th Street and the Community Youth Center on 5th Street in

Corona del Mar. The city intends to organize a meeting for parents who

had children in recreational programs, perhaps as soon as the end of next

week, said Newport Beach City Manager Homer Bludau.

Investigators have seized several compact discs with images of

partially clothed children who seem to be boys between the ages 6 and 10,

said Newport Beach Police Sgt. Steve Shulman.

“We have dozens of images showing [Veches] sucking the children’s

toes,” he said. “But I’d like to emphasize that we’re still sorting

through several hundreds of images. There could very well be more

victims.”

The investigation was sparked when a co-worker in the recreation

division reported to a supervisor that Veches may have been involved in

inappropriate behavior with some of the children, Shulman said.

Police looked into the allegations, interviewed the people who

reported the alleged crime, and confiscated Veches’ computers in his

office, at home and his digital camera, he said.

“The investigation is still at a very preliminary stage,” Shulman

said. “We don’t know when the activity started or how many victims were

involved.”

Investigators, so far, have recovered “multiple images,” said Capt.

Tim Newman, detective commander.

“Fifty to 60 of the images seem to involve kids from our programs,” he

said. That determination was made from the background and setting of the

picture, Newman said.

Newman’s detectives are busy scanning the images for more evidence, he

said.

Veches is now suspended from his job and on paid administrative leave.

Bludau said he is “really disappointed that this happened” to a city

employee.

“We hope the investigation will define the extent of criminal

conduct,” he said. “The city will also look into what we can do to make

sure this never happens again.”

Bludau said the city already conducts thorough background checks

before hiring employees. Veches previously worked in Tucson and came to

Newport Beach with good references and a clean record, he said.

Veches has no prior convictions, police officials said.

Veches was arraigned at Harbor Justice Center on Friday. He is being

held at the Orange County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail. A court hearing

is set for Friday.

* Deepa Bharath covers public safety and courts. She may be reached at

(949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at o7 deepa.bharath@latimes.comf7 .

FYI

Police are seeking those who may have more information about this case

or investigation. Anyone who has such information should call the Newport

Beach Police Department at (800) 550-6273.

Additionally, anyone with specific questions about the city’s

recreational programs may call city officials at (949) 644-3151 between 8

a.m. and 5 p.m. today, Sunday and Monday. Officials will be prepared to

help the public with answers.