Drum school director accused of sexually assaulting teen in Orange County

SANTA ANA — Santa Ana police and prosecutors asked for the public’s help Wednesday tracking down potential victims of a registered sex offender charged with sexually assaulting a teenage boy.

Patrick Michael Costello of Orange, 56, founder and director of Synergy Drum Corps, is accused of offering a student, who was 14 or 15 years old, money in February to engage in sex, according to Santa Ana Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.

Costello was convicted in 2014 of sending “inappropriate text messages” to another teenage boy, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

Costello pleaded not guilty Friday to six counts of lewd acts on a child 14 or 15, three counts of annoying or molesting a child younger than 18 with a prior conviction for a sex crime, and a count of oral copulation of an underaged victim, according to prosecutors.

Costello could face up to nine years in prison if convicted of all charges, prosecutors said.

Since Costello met the victim when the boy was a student, investigators suspect there may be more victims, Bertagna said.

“According to Costello’s LinkedIn profile, he is the founder and director of Synergy Drum Corps, which is a private drum school with no affiliation to the Santa Ana Unified School District,” the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

Anyone with information was asked to contact Santa Ana Police Det. Gerry Corona at gcoronasanta-ana.org, or 714-245-8343. Orange County Crime Stoppers will accept anonymous tips at 855-TIP-OCCS.