Operator of O.C. babysitting service accused of molesting boys in Laguna Beach and Los Angeles

SANTA ANA — A man who operates an Orange County-based babysitting service is facing charges of sexually assaulting two boys, 7 and 8, one in Laguna Beach and the other in Los Angeles, authorities confirmed Wednesday.

Matthew Antonio Zakrzewski, 30, of Costa Mesa faces 90 years to life in prison if convicted of three felony counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor younger than 14 and one count of oral copulation or sexual penetration with a child 10 years old or younger, along with a misdemeanor count of possession of child pornography and sentencing enhancement allegation of multiple victims.

Zakrzewski pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana on Tuesday and was ordered held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Messages left with Zakrzewski’s company and his attorney, Catherine Sempepos, were not immediately returned.

Zakrzewski calls himself “the original Sitter Buddy” on his website, in which he also characterizes himself as a “manny” who provides a variety of babysitting services.

“In the eighth grade I discovered what a joy it was to work with children and be a positive impact in their lives through my school’s `Buddy Program,”‘ he says on the Sitter Buddy website. “Now, I am a full-service TrustLine Certified provider of regular and on-demand child care, as well as mentoring services for children.”

The defendant met both of the alleged victims in his job as a babysitter, said Kimberly Edds, a spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

The boy from Laguna Beach was allegedly assaulted from February to May and the boy in Los Angeles was allegedly molested in December 2017, she said.

Investigators are concerned there may be more alleged victims and asked anyone with information to call Laguna Beach police at 949-715-1300.

Laguna Beach police Sgt. Jim Cota noted the defendant allegedly was found in possession of child porn that included a video of himself with a boy who is not one of the charged victims.

“We have a long clientele list of probably 40-plus families that goes back at least five years, so we’re going to have to do an extensive investigation,” Cota said.

The defendant’s next court date is a May 31 pretrial hearing at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.