HAYWARD – It began with a probability meeting at a mall between a person in his late 20s and a teenage girl who told police she reluctantly gave him her number and rebuffed his try to hug her.

And the saga ended eight months later after the person allegedly raped the girl in his vehicle and threatened to point out a video of sex acts to her family members if she didn't meet him one last time, court documents show.

Now, 26-year-old Andrew Patrick Kelly is in Santa Rita Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail and is charged with forcible rape, illegal sex with a minor and oral copulation with a minor, all felonies. The charging documents allege that Kelly sexually abused the lady during two meetings in early 2024 after which raped her of their last encounter in February before driving her back to her highschool within the East Bay.

After their last encounter, Kelly was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault in a separate incident, in keeping with court records. In April – a month after the fees were filed – he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor and was sentenced to probation, records show.

Kelly pleaded not guilty and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for November, in keeping with court records. The evidence against him includes not only statements made by the alleged victim to police, but in addition Kelly's own conversations with two Fremont cops who posed because the girl after she informed them of the alleged extortion attempt, authorities said.

In those conversations, police said Kelly repeated a threat he had already made to the girl – that he would release videos of himself sexually abusing her unless she agreed to fulfill again. She had allegedly agreed to a gathering on the condition that he delete the videos in front of her, but as an alternative gave her phone to investigators in order that they could collect evidence against him.

Kelly was arrested in late September at the identical Newark mall where he allegedly met the girl, police said. In a subsequent interview, he claimed that every one sexual contacts occurred after her 18th birthday and were consensual. But police say they’ve digital evidence that contradicts that.

Kelly allegedly approached the girl in early 2024 and asked for her number. She later told police that she had stated this, but felt creepy when he tried to hug her through the same conversation. After they began texting him, she agreed to several meetings with him, but cut off contact after he raped her, in keeping with authorities.

In addition to those charges, Kelly has two domestic violence charges pending this 12 months, in addition to a drunken driving and child endangerment charge. According to police, he was also arrested in 2021 on suspicion of indecent exposure but was never charged.

On Sept. 6, East Palo Alto police launched an investigation into allegations that 54-year-old James Edward Fitch of Stockton “committed lewd acts with a minor at his place of work,” Police Chief Jeff Liu said in a news release.

According to Liu and the college's website, Fitch served as the college's campus relations coordinator.

Liu said investigators had “established sufficient probable cause to arrest Fitch. He is charged with three counts of sexual assault of a minor and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual assault.”

On Monday, police, in cooperation with the United States Marshals Service, executed a $500,000 arrest warrant and a search of Fitch's apartment, Liu said.

Fitch was expected to be taken to the San Mateo County Jail.

Commander David Santos, a police department spokesman, said he couldn’t provide further details in regards to the case, including when the alleged crimes occurred, since the investigation was still ongoing.

“We wanted to share what we had so the public is aware of the situation, and if anyone has information that may be helpful to the investigation, we encourage them to share it with us,” Santos said in an email to this news organization.

Gina Sudaria, superintendent of the Ravenswood City School District, didn’t immediately reply to a call and email in search of details about Fitch's employment status.

Anyone with information in regards to the case can contact Detective Sgt. Jose Luaorozco at 650-629-4538. Those wishing to stay anonymous can call or text 650-409-6792 or email epa@tipnow.org.

Check back later for updates.