On September 28, 2025, at 10:37 am, deputies received a report of child molestation that occurred at Cinnabar Elementary School in Petaluma involving a school counselor. Following their initial investigation, deputies contacted detectives from the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault (DVSA) Unit, who took over the investigation.
After interviewing the victim, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for John Conant, a 66-year-old resident of Sebastopol. Conant was arrested without incident in the early morning hours of September 29, 2025. He was booked into the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility on charges of committing lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14. His bail was set at $250,000.
While we do not typically release details about sex crimes, we want to reassure the community that protecting victims and their identities is our top priority. Due to Conant’s position at the school, we have reason to believe there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward. For that reason, we are releasing this information along with Conant’s booking photo. This is an ongoing investigation, and no further information will be released to the public or media at this time.
We urge anyone who may be a victim of Conant to come forward and contact the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office DVSA Unit at 707-565-8290. Your information is crucial in our ongoing investigation and ensuring the safety of our community.
Prepared by: Sergeant Juan Valencia, Public Information Officer
Media Inquiries: (707) 565-3941
Case No: 250928-006
