Choral director charged with sex assault of a minor in the mid-2000s

SAN JOSE >> A choral director at Saratoga High School, who over the years worked with the Children’s Musical Theater of San Jose, has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a minor based on alleged acts during the mid-2000s, according to authorities and court documents.

Andrew Justin Ford, 33, of San Jose was arraigned Friday in a San Jose courtroom for one count each of sexual penetration by force or duress, oral copulation by force or duress, and oral copulation with a minor under the age of 18. He did not enter a plea and was sent back to Elmwood men’s jail in Milpitas, where he was being held on $250,000 bail.

According to police, the allegations that form the basis of the charges against Ford occurred in San Jose from 2004 to 2006, when Ford would have been in his late teens. Steven Clark, who appeared at the arraignment as Ford’s attorney, stressed that none of the allegations is associated with his role as an educator.

“There is nothing in this investigation that involves anything related to his employment,” Clark said. “The allegations are 16 years old, and we will address them in due course.”

Ford, who has no criminal history, turned himself in to San Jose police Thursday after learning an arrest warrant had been issued for him.

“He wanted to address this right away,” Clark said. “I would ask that everyone reserve judgment on this case until all the facts have been established.”

In response to an inquiry from this news organization, Michael Grove, superintendent for the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District, confirmed that Ford “is on an authorized leave of absence,” but declined to comment further, citing it as a confidential personnel matter.

Dana Zell, managing director for the Children’s Musical Theater of San Jose, confirmed that Ford has worked periodically as a vocal director for the theater on a contracting basis but had not been a regular contributor in the past few years. She declined to comment on his arrest.

According to a San Jose police report, they first began investigating the allegations in December, when a friend of the alleged victim called police to report being told that the victim talked about being sexually assaulted by Ford. But the investigation stalled, on account of the victim not responding to investigators’ attempts to contact him.

Then in mid-April, the Saratoga High School administration received an email restating the allegations involving Ford; because of redactions, it was not clear in the police report whether it was the same person who contacted police in December. The school placed Ford on leave and alerted the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office — which patrols Saratoga — who in turn notified SJPD since the alleged crime happened in San Jose.

The police report states that the reported victim confirmed the allegations but was reluctant or opposed to pressing charges against Ford. The names of several witnesses and parties in the investigation have been withheld by this news organization to avoid identifying the victim because the case involves an alleged sexual assault.