Charges against Costa Mesa ‘manny’ grow as he is now accused of sexually abusing 17 young boys

A Costa Mesa man and former nanny already accused of child molestation is now suspected of abusing 17 young boys, according to additional charges the Orange County district attorney’s office filed Friday.

Matthew Antonio Zakrzewski, 30, who worked for families across Southern California as a professional nanny — or “manny,” as he referred to himself on his website — pleaded not guilty Friday to all charges against him, court records show.

He now faces 33 felony charges in all, including 27 counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under age 14, one count of oral copulation of a child under age 10 and one count of possession of child pornography.

He’s also charged with one count of using a minor for sex acts, two counts of distributing pornography to a minor for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct and one count of an attempted lewd or lascivious act with a minor under age 14.

Prosecutors say the boys were ages 2 to 12 at the time of the alleged abuse.

Since the investigation began in the spring, tips and video evidence from the public have led to a growing number of possible victims, authorities said. Zakrzewski previously faced 25 felony counts connected to 12 alleged victims after new charges were filed in August. In June, he was facing 15 felony charges, most of them related to seven children.

Zakrzewski’s attorney, Matthew Wallin, said Friday that “our law firm is still in the process of investigating all allegations. We cannot comment specifically until we have received and reviewed all available evidence and completed our investigation.”

According to authorities, the crimes took place between Jan. 1, 2014, and May 17 this year, when Laguna Beach police arrested Zakrzewski after he got off an international flight.

The investigation began in May after a Laguna Beach couple who had hired Zakrzewski as a babysitter told police they believed he had touched their 8-year-old son inappropriately, prosecutors said. The couple had hired Zakrzewski through one of several websites where he advertised his services.

Zakrzewski remains in custody at Orange County Jail with bail set at $1.25 million, according to the district attorney’s office. He could face 690 years to life, plus eight years, behind bars if convicted as currently charged.

He is due back in court Jan. 24, records show.

Anyone with further information related to the investigation is asked to call the Laguna Beach Police Department at (949) 715-1300.

City News Service contributed to this report.

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.