Podcast helps lead to charges against janitor accused of molestation, CA officials say
A video podcast helped lead to molestation charges against a school janitor, California prosecutors say.
Norlan Macias, 54, of San Jose, is facing 11 felony counts of sexual molestation and is accused of molesting five children, ages 8 to 17, over the course of more than a decade from 2001 to 2012, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office said in a July 11 news release.
An investigation into “Macias began in 2020, when a retired San Jose Police Officer recognized Macias from the video podcast, which documents child abuse associated with religious institutions,” prosecutors said.
In the “Preacher Boys” podcast episode, a man shared “his experiences with Norlan Macias and at North Valley Baptist Church,” Eric Skwarczynski, the podcast’s host, said in an emailed statement to McClatchy News.
After hearing the man’s story, the retired officer called 911, according to prosecutors.
“Today is a reminder of the importance of not remaining silent,” Skwarczynski said. “It is a reminder that our voices hold power.”
Macias is accused of taking “a group of teenage parishioners of the North Valley Baptist Church out on a boat at Lake Anderson in Morgan Hill,” prosecutors said.
North Valley Baptist Church did not immediately return McClatchy News’ request for comment on July 11.
After the lake trip, Macias took the group of boys to his home, “where the molestations took place,” prosecutor said.
In addition to the lake trip, a detective found a 2013 report accusing Macias of molestation.
The boy, who lived near Macias, reported he was molested by Macias when he was hired to work on his home, prosecutors said. The case was closed because the boy stopped cooperating, according to authorities.
Macias was booked into jail July 10 and is being held without bail, online jail records show.
Macias faces life in prison if convicted, prosecutors said.
“I would like to thank the retired police officer for his diligence and dedication,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in the release. “As with many officers, his mission of protecting our community’s children never stopped.”
Skwarczynski echoed the sentiment, saying he was thankful for the victim’s bravery for sharing his story, as well as “for the law enforcement officer who heard this message and decided to look into the case.”
“They are both heroes,” Skwarczynski said.
Prosecutors said they believe Macias, who worked as a “janitor at the Campbell Union and Mountain View school districts,” may have additional victims.
In an email to McClatchy News, a Campbell Union School District spokesperson said the district’s records show Macias was a substitute custodian from November 1991 to February 1992.
Mountain View Whisman School District did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.
Anyone with information is asked to email Deputy District Attorney Joanna Lee at joalee@dao.sccgov.org.
Morgan Hill is about a 20-mile drive southeast from San Jose.
This story was originally published July 11, 2024 at 2:24 PM with the headline "Podcast helps lead to charges against janitor accused of molestation, CA officials say."
