FALLBROOK : Bail for Campus Officer Reduced

A Fallbrook High School campus security officer was arraigned Tuesday on six felony counts of sexually molesting a 15-year-old male student on three occasions.

Vista Municipal Judge Suzanne Knauf also reduced the bail of 40-year-old Carol Dean Armes from $165,000 to $50,000. Armes’ attorney, William Christoph, said it is likely that bail will be raised and that she will be released as early as today.

Armes was formally charged with three counts each of oral copulation and lewd acts upon a child age 14 or 15 and could be sentenced to up to nine years in prison if convicted, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Kate Elkin.

Christoph requested that bail be dropped, saying that Armes is not a flight risk, is a single parent of three children, owns a home in Fallbrook, has no criminal record and has extensive ties to the community.

About 50 friends, co-workers and relatives showed up at the proceedings, including Armes’ pastor, to show their support.

Elkin, however, said Armes had “developed an obsession for the victim,” who was 14 years old when the sexual encounters began in January, and that the seriousness of the charges required that “at least a minimum amount of bail be set.”

Armes’ preliminary hearing is set for July 13.