EspañolLuke Anthony Quintana, San Bernardino County Water Polo Coach, Arrested in Redlands and Accused of Having Sex With Minor
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA (June 12, 2026) – A San Bernardino County high school water polo coach identified as Luke Quintana was arrested on suspicion of having sex with a minor.
San Bernardino County officials are saying that the defendant is an employee of the Redlands Unified School District. Authorities are saying that a person came forward and said that they initially met Luke Quintana in October 2025 at a Citrus Valley High School water polo match.
The 15-year-old victim reported communicating with the defendant before the two eventually met in February 2026. It was during this period that the alleged sexual encounter occurred.
That encounter was reported to the police in March 2026. Luke Quintana is facing several charges related to the incident. Any person with more information has been encouraged to reach out to the Redlands Police Department.
Liability for Sexual Abuse Involving High School Coaches
Schools have a legal obligation to supervise all the students in their care and protect them from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. This includes protecting them from sexual abuse at the hands of school employees. Consider, for example, C.A. v. William S. Hart Union High School Dist., a school district “may be liable through respondeat superior for the negligence of other employees who were responsible for hiring, supervising, training, or retaining [the perpetrator].” There are a number of measures that should be taken to prevent sexual abuse.
- Screening: Every school employee should undergo a thorough screening process before they are allowed to start working.
- Reporting: Schools should have anonymous reporting procedures so that misconduct can be identified.
- Isolation: Schools should have policies and procedures that prevent individual students from being isolated with teachers.
- Training: School employees should be trained to understand what factors are associated with sexual victimization and predation.
If a school fails to properly supervise a student who is sexually abused by a coach or other school employee, this could serve as evidence of negligence. Even if the sexual abuse did not take place at the school, a school district could still be liable if it was during an officially sanctioned event. This could include some type of field trip or other circumstance. When assessing liability, it matters whether or not school officials knew or should have known that the perpetrator posed a risk of harm to children.
Steps to Take After High School Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse at schools across California in the United States remains much more common than many people realize. According to one study in Science Direct, “There is growing recognition that educator sexual misconduct is prevalent in kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools. While there is some evidence that educators may use sexual grooming in the abuse process, this has yet to be systematically examined.” Multiple actions should be taken after any child is sexually abused by a high school coach.
- The incident should be reported to the police as early as possible so they can begin investigating.
- All of the medical records related to the abuse should be collected and preserved.
- The history of misconduct involving the defendant should be studied.
- The victims and their parents should carefully consider their legal options with a team experienced in sexual abuse claims.
Sexual abuse tends to be highly preventable in a school setting. Part of the problem is that many school employees simply look the other way when they see misconduct. However, this is against the law. Teachers are considered mandated reporters and must report all reasonably suspected instances of abuse. Any person who is sexually abused by a school coach is able to seek some measure of accountability through a civil claim.
Investigating San Bernardino County Sexual Abuse
We at Carrillo Law Firm were very concerned to hear about the allegations involving Luke Quintana. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to the Redlands Police Department. There needs to be a thorough investigation into the potential scope of the misconduct. It is our sincere hope that measures are taken to make the Redlands Unified School District safer for everyone.
Have you or a loved one been sexually abused by a high school coach in San Bernardino County? You may have legal recourse. Our team of experienced sexual abuse attorneys is here for you. We are committed to helping victims get the justice that they deserve and holding school districts accountable for their negligence. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
