Teens offered alcohol at holiday party, California cops say. School board head charged
A now-former school board president has been charged after high school students were offered alcohol at a holiday party at his home, California police said.
The students, members of the Claremont High School Choir program, attended an annual tree trimming party at Steven Llanusa’s home on Dec. 3, according to a Feb. 16 news release from the Claremont Police Department.
At the time, Llanusa was the school board president at Claremont Unified School District, police said. He was reelected Nov. 8 and had served on the board for 17 years, The Claremont Courier reported.
Police said it investigated allegations of “inappropriate behavior” and that minors were given alcohol.
The allegations came to light during a special board meeting on Dec. 9. Parents said their children, who were hired to perform at the party, were exposed to “half-naked men” and a “dirty Santa,” NBC Los Angeles reported.
“I’m truly disgusted in Mr. Llanusa’s behavior,” parent Gabriel Lozano said during the meeting, while calling on the school board to take action against him, The San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported.
Another parent, Sabrina Ho, said the students did not begin their performance until an hour after entering the “private adult party,” CBS Los Angeles reported.
“They were encouraged to take part in food and festivities,” Ho said, adding that students “were offered alcohol by party guests among inappropriately dressed entertainers.”
Llanusa resigned from his position Dec. 10, California Globe reported.
After the “case was presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office,” Llanusa, along with two others, were charged Feb. 9, police said.
Llanusa is facing two charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one count of providing alcoholic beverages to a minor under age 21, according to police.
Llanusa did not immediately return McClatchy News’ request for comment.
In an emailed statement to McClatchy News, Jim Elsasser, the Claremont Unified School District’s superintendent, said the district is “grateful to law enforcement for their vigilant attention to this important matter.”
“Throughout Claremont Police Department’s investigation, I can assure our community that the district’s attention remained fully focused on the education of our students,” Elsasser said.
Blake Taylor White, also known as “Buddy the Elf,” was arrested on a count of “lewd or lascivious acts with a minor 14/15 years of age on Dec. 28, 2022 in Temecula,” police said. He was booked into jail but later released on $25,000 bond.
White faces four counts of annoying or molesting a child and two counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor aged 14 or 15, police said.
Tandy Robinson, 61, is facing one count of providing alcoholic beverages to a minor under 21, according to police.
McClatchy News was unable to reach White and Robinson for comment.
Police said all three are expected to appear in court on March 30.
Claremont is in Los Angeles County, about 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
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