Parents are concerned after staff members were arrested at several Colorado schools

Parents are concerned about the recent arrest of a school employee in Jefferson County.

According to Arvada police Justin Martínez is accused by a trusted person of sexually assaulting a child.

Martinez has worked as a substitute teacher at several Jeffco schools – Lawrence Elementary School, Stevens Elementary School, Vivian Elementary School and Secrest Elementary School – most recently in the before- and after-school care programs at Red Rocks Elementary.

“I know I’m not the only one who felt like this guy was crazy, and when I got that email my stomach just dropped,” Trish Byerley said.

The email about the arrest of a Jefferson County employee came from management at Red Rocks Elementary School, where Byerley’s son is a student. He is also a member of the SAE after-school enrichment program where the suspect most recently worked.

“I’ve really given the district a lot. The district has lax hiring authority. They don’t take as much time as I think they should,” Byerley added.

Arvada police released a photo of Martinez and a list of schools he was employed at throughout the district and are asking anyone with information to come forward.

According to Byerley, this is because parents are losing trust.

“I think districts really need to be stricter. There have been several cases this year,” she said.

In February, JeffCo families learned that Lakewood police had made an arrest Luis Fernando Robles-Luevanos for two counts of sexual assault of a child.

According to arrest documents, he was working as an interpreter and family member at Creighton Middle School and was arrested after two students who were new to the country said he gave them a physical exam.

He also had previous crimes on his record. The police are now investigating whether there are any other victims.

In April, additional notifications were sent to families for Brady Exploration High School’s Imagine Ewer paraprofessional event. She is accused of having an intimate relationship with one of her students.

She was released in December before being arrested by police in January.

Christopher Castellano was arrested by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office last August and charged with sexual assault of a child. Before his arrest, he was a substitute teacher in Jefferson County for a year.

The district told parents the case did not involve a Jefferson County student.

“We want to know that these teachers and support staff are being vetted and vetted, not just because we need a warm body,” Byerley said, “(We) are checking their Facebook and Instagram pages.”

CBS News Colorado asked to sit down with Jefferson County Public Schools officials to discuss the hiring process.

While they declined to do an on-camera interview, a spokesperson responded to several questions, including saying, “Every public school employee in Jeffco is required to undergo a fingerprint-based CBI/FBI background check” and that the district “There is another arrest every day.” Report to the CBI every time one of its associates is arrested.

Additionally, a spokesperson says all employees who work in a child care setting such as their school-age enrichment programs are subject to additional screening because these programs are licensed by the Colorado Department of Human Services.

As for notifying parents, Jefferson County says it depends on the situation. If investigators need help identifying additional victims, notification can be made immediately after the arrest.

Otherwise, they follow state law, which requires them to wait for a formal arraignment or preliminary hearing.