Registered Sex Offender Accused of Unlawfully Entering Preschool
A 45-year-old Valparaiso man is facing a felony charge after investigators say he repeatedly entered a preschool facility despite being legally prohibited from doing so as a serious sex offender.
Samuel Jesus Vega is accused of entering the facility alone on multiple dates between May and July 2025 to drop off or pick up children. According to court documents, an anonymous tip received July 6, 2025, led authorities to investigate Vega’s presence at Growing Kids Learning Center, located on Campbell Street in Valparaiso.
Investigators confirmed that Vega is classified as a Sexually Violent Predator and Serious Sex Offender with a lifetime registration requirement. His prior convictions include a 1999 offense in Texas involving a 12-year-old girl and a 2024 conviction in Indiana for sexual battery involving an adult woman.
Surveillance footage and entry logs showed Vega entering the building using his own access code and thumbprint. Four separate video clips documented Vega inside the building on:
• July 3, 2025 at 6:33 a.m. – entering and signing in
• July 3, 2025 at 2:06 p.m. – entering and signing out children
• July 9, 2025 at 4:36 p.m. – signing out children
• July 29, 2025 at 6:13 a.m. – entering and signing in
During a July 29 interview with investigators, Vega initially denied being inside the building, then admitted he had entered but claimed he didn’t know the location was considered school property or that doing so violated registry rules. He stated he would not return.
Charge filed August 4, 2025:
• Unlawful Entry by a Serious Sex Offender (Level 6 Felony)
Currently lodged in the Porter County Jail
