Police say surf teacher victimized more girls

Police say they have found more young victims — and additional disturbing evidence — in their investigation of the owner of a Santa Cruz surfing school accused of lewd acts.

Santa Cruz Deputy Police Chief Steve Clark says detectives investigating surf school owner Dylan Greiner found more “inappropriate” photos of young girls taken while he was instructing at the local Boys and Girls Club.

Police say they also found hundreds of thousands of images and videos on Greiner’s computers.
Clark said Thursday:

“Unfortunately, investigators have expanded the locations where Mr. Greiner was carrying out his crimes. Detectives have discovered that Mr. Greiner also took inappropriate photos of young girls while teaching basic board techniques in conjunction with his surf lessons at the Boys and Girls Club in Santa Cruz.”

Clark said that after serving warrants last Friday at Greiner’s home and at his Santa Cruz Surf School, detectives discovered more than 500,000 images and videos on Greiner’s computers.

Police say they have also received calls and emails from more than 100 parents throughout California who are worried their daughters may have been victimized by Greiner.

The latest accusations come after the 38-year-old Greiner was charged Wednesday with 28 felony counts that included lewd acts with a 14-year-old girl, sexual exploitation of a child and possessing child pornography.

During his initial court appearance Greiner — dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit and in handcuffs — did not enter a plea. The judge in the case increased his bail to $1 million and ordered him to return to court Sept 10.

The surfing school Greiner operated provided its lessons at Cowell Beach, a popular surfing spot for beginning surfers.
The school’s website has been suspended. But before it was taken down it boasted it was:

“… the only surf school in Santa Cruz with a shop featuring a private bathroom, secure storage for your belongings, changing areas, outdoor shower and private parking.”

Private surfing lessons were offered for $120 an hour, or group lessons for $90 for two hours.

A call to the phone listing on the school’s website  before it was taken down was directed to a cell phone with a recording by a person identifying himself as Dylan. The message advised callers to leave a message or sign up for surfing classes online.

When detectives were questioning Greiner after his arrest they say he admitted to the having the relationships and to downloading inappropriate images of young girls, and that he wrote a letter of apology to girls and to the community.