Former Riverside Teacher Charged With Sexually Abusing Student 20 Years Ago

Former Riverside Teacher Charged With Sexually Abusing Student 20 Years Ago

Nov 18, 2021

A former Riverside, California, teacher has been charged with sexually abusing a child and ex-student over 20 years ago.

Paul Edward Lowe, 61, of Corona, California, was arrested by Riverside Police Department detectives on November 9 and charged with 14 counts of sexual assault of a child, according to a press release issued by authorities.

Riverside Police confirmed that the department’s Sexual Assault – Child Abuse Unit (SACA) launched an investigation in September of this year after a 32-year old man and former student reported that he had been sexually abused by Lowe decades ago. Lowe was reportedly the alleged victim’s 4th grade teacher. The Riverside Police Department confirmed the sexual abuse survivor stated that the majority of the alleged assaults occurred away from school, but some incidents also took place on campus.

In addition to teaching at Riverside’s Taft Elementary School from 1997 to 2002, Lowe reportedly worked for the local YMCA and served as an AYSO youth soccer coach in Los Angeles County. The former teacher also coached youth soccer in Big Bear and was a private teacher in Hacienda Heights, California, for approximately two years in the early 1990s. Furthermore, Lowe spent time working at an area youth camp and reportedly wrote children’s books under the pen name “Edric Phoenix.”

After a conviction for sexual assault of a minor in Los Angeles County, Lowe resigned from Riverside’s Taft Elementary School in 2002. The resignation was reportedly sudden, and Lowe was required to register as a sex offender as a result of the sexual assault conviction.

Lowe was arrested and booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center for the current allegations related to the abuse from 20 years ago. He is currently being held in custody on $5 million bail and his next court appearance is scheduled for December 3.

Given Lowe’s past sexual assault conviction and the current allegations against him, Riverside’s SACA detectives believe other survivors may have yet to come forward. Anyone with information related to the arrest of Paul Edward Lowe is urged to contact Riverside Police Department Detective Stacie Ontko at 951-353-7121 or SOntko@RiversideCA.gov.

California AB 218 Offers Child Sexual Abuse Survivors Justice for Decades-Old Crimes

Although the alleged sexual abuse reported by the former student of Paul Edward Lowe occurred over 20 years ago, the unnamed survivor is still eligible to file a civil lawsuit under California AB 218 – the recent legislation which temporarily eliminates the statute of limitations on childhood sex crimes through December 31, 2022.

AB 218 took effect in 2020. The bill was passed to offer survivors of childhood sexual abuse an opportunity at justice, regardless of how long ago the crimes occurred. AB 218 includes specific clauses that may help survivors of California childhood sexual abuse recover financial compensation through civil lawsuits. Such clauses include:

• A three-year lookback window which temporarily pauses the statute of limitations until the end of 2022, making any survivor of childhood sexual abuse eligible to file a civil claim seeking a damages award.
• A treble damages clause which grants the courts power to triple plaintiff awards in the event that a childhood sexual abuse cover-up is proven. Under the treble damages clause, a survivor of a proven childhood sexual abuse cover-up who receives a $1 million settlement or verdict could be eligible to have that award tripled by the courts (and ultimately recover $3 million).
• Virtually all survivors of childhood sexual abuse are now eligible to file civil claims in pursuit of financial compensation until their 40th birthday.

Our Sexual Assault Justice Experts are here to help survivors secure justice. Contact our top-rated attorneys online or by phone for a free consultation today.

For additional information regarding the various aspects of California AB 218 and how the bill may offer legal recourse options for child sexual abuse survivors, please visit our recent blog with further details.

While AB 218 is an unprecedented opportunity at justice for thousands of childhood sexual abuse survivors, the bill’s three-year lookback window deadline is fast approaching. After December 31, 2022, the lookback window closes, and the statute of limitations resumes. This means that, for survivors who did not filed claims before the deadline, their ability to pursue justice and ultimately recover a financial damages award may be barred. Many survivors who do not file claims before the lookback window expires – particularly those whose crimes occurred outside of the standard 10-year statute of limitations – will be left without any legal recourse.

Dordulian Law Group’s (DLG) childhood sexual abuse lawyers strongly encourage survivors to come forward and report a claim as soon as possible to ensure their chance at justice is preserved.

For additional information on filing a civil claim or for a free and no obligation consultation with an attorney from our Sex Crimes Division, contact us via 866-GO-SEE-SAM. There is never any fee until we successfully recover maximum financial compensation for your case.

About Dordulian Law Group (DLG)

DLG was founded by former sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County, Sam Dordulian. DLG offers survivors of sexual abuse a unique type of legal representation with access to added resources through our SAJE Team (Sexual Abuse Justice Experts). We know how difficult it can be to come forward and report a decades-old sex crime, and we are dedicated to always providing survivors with the professionalism, personalized attention, and compassion they deserve.