The 72-year-old owner of an Agoura Hills day care facility has been arrested on suspicion of lewd or lascivious acts on a minor, authorities said Tuesday.

Paul Lopez was taken into custody last Wednesday and booked at the sheriff's Malibu/Lost Hills Station on two counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child and penetration with a foreign object, the sheriff's department reported. He was released after posting a $100,000 bond.

Lopez owns and operates The Small Wonder Academy day care facility with his wife located on Cambridge Court.



Dozens -- possibly hundreds -- of children have attended Lopez's academy over 30 years of business. Lieutenant Todd Deeds with the sheriff's department's special victim's unit said that's what concerns him.

"They could have up to twelve kids at a time," Deeds said.

Authorities believe there are more victims.

"The day care (facility) has been in existence for several years, and provides care for children ages three months to four years,'' a sheriff's statement said.

In 2016, a student had made an accusation against Lopez, but it did not result in any charges.

A female former attendee is the victim, and Deeds said he wants parents of all previous attendees to have a talk with their kids.

NBC4 called and knocked on Lopez's door, but have not been able to reach him for comment.

The investigation was conducted by the sheriff's Special Victims Bureau. Anyone with information on the case was urged to call the Special Victims Bureau at (877) 710-LASD.

NBC4's Gordon Tokumatsu contributed to this report.