Costa Mesa ‘manny’ pleads not guilty to additional counts of child molestation as number of alleged victims rises

A Costa Mesa man who works as a professional nanny has pleaded not guilty to additional counts of child molestation as the number of alleged victims rises, court records show.

Matthew Antonio Zakrzewski, 30, pleaded not guilty Friday to 15 felony charges, most of them related to seven children ages 7 to 13, according to Laguna Beach police spokesman Jim Cota.

Zakrzewski already had pleaded not guilty in May to five counts, most of them related to two children. He now faces 10 new charges connected to five more alleged victims.

In all, Zakrzewski faces nine felony counts of committing a lewd act on a child younger than 14, one felony count of an attempted lewd act on a child under 14, one felony count of oral copulation with a child 10 or younger, one felony count of using a minor for sex acts, one felony count of possessing child pornography and two felony counts of distributing pornography to a minor with intent to engage in sexual conduct, according to a criminal complaint filed Friday in Orange County Superior Court.

The alleged incidents are believed to have occurred between 2014 and May this year, according to court documents.

Police said another possible victim has been identified who is not included in the current charges.

“The fact that someone has been arrested and charged with a crime is no indication of their guilt,” Zakrzewski’s attorney, Matthew Wallin, said in a statement Tuesday.

Zakrzewski was arrested May 17 after a Laguna Beach couple went to police alleging that he had inappropriately touched their 8-year-old son.

Prosecutors said the couple hired Zakrzewski through one of several websites where he listed his nanny services.

During the investigation, police identified another alleged victim, a 7-year-old boy in Los Angeles, authorities said.

Zakrzewski has worked as a nanny — or “manny,” as he refers to himself — for families across Southern California.

His professional website describes his role as “babysitter,” “buddy,” “big brother,” “role model” and “mentor” and lists credentials such as LiveScan and background screenings and lifeguard, TrustLine and CPR certifications. He says he has been a professional nanny for more than six years.

Zakrzewski was arrested after he got off an international flight. Authorities did not disclose the airport where the arrest occurred.

Pornographic images Zakrzewski had taken, as well as content accessed online, were found on the camera he had with him at the time of his arrest and on electronic devices at his home, police said.

Zakrzewski is being held at Orange County Jail with bail set at $1.25 million, authorities said.

Anyone with information about the case can call Laguna Beach police at (949) 715-1300.

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