High School Safety Supervisor Arrested for Allegedly Withholding Student’s Phone for Sex and Trapping Her in a Classroom By Madison E. Goldberg

A high school safety supervisor was arrested after allegedly taking a student’s phone and soliciting sex from her in exchange for returning the device.

Reuben Carter Freeman, 36, worked as a site safety supervisor at Vallejo High School in Vallejo, Calif., and was arrested when police responded to the high school at approximately 3:04 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Dec. 16, according to a press release from Vallejo Police.

School staff had identified Freeman as the “responsible party” and he “fled the campus after learning police had been notified,” authorities said in the release.

Police later found Freeman nearby and detained him “without incident.”

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“Officers conducted a thorough investigation and determined Freeman had forcefully taken a student’s phone and stated he would not return it unless she complied with his demands,” the VPD wrote in the press release. “The investigation further revealed that Freeman solicited sexual acts from the student, held her against her will, and prevented her from leaving the classroom while still in possession of her phone. Freeman eventually returned the phone and allowed her to leave only after she acquiesced to some of his demands.”

Freeman was booked into the Solano County Jail on multiple charges, including soliciting lewd acts in public, false imprisonment, and robbery, VPD said.

“Protecting students is a core responsibility of this department,” Vallejo Chief of Police Jason Ta said in a statement. “When we receive information about concerning behavior on a school campus, our officers respond quickly and decisively. We will hold individuals accountable and continue to work closely with school officials to ensure campuses remain safe environments for students and staff.”

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PEOPLE has reached out to VPD and Vallejo High School for comment.

Anyone with information about the case was encouraged to contact Officer Brad Bermann at (707) 648-4321 or at [email protected].