Jeffrey Pribble Arrested After Phone Found Recording Students in Tracy High School Locker Room

Case Against Tracy High Football Coach Jeffrey Pribble Sent to District Attorney After Students Found a Phone Recording Them in the Boys Locker Room

TRACY, CALIFORNIA (October 28, 2026) – A 48-year-old football coach and teacher identified as Jeffrey Pribble was arrested after students found a phone allegedly recording them in the boys locker room at Tracy High School in Tracy.

San Joaquin County officials are saying that the discovery occurred on the morning of Thursday, September 10. A student and several classmates were changing in the locker room when they found a phone recording them, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles.

The students stopped the recording, deleted the video, and turned the phone over to a teacher. That evening, a parent contacted Tracy police, and school resource officers and detectives opened an investigation.

On Friday, September 11, officers determined the phone belonged to Pribble and arrested him on campus, the Tracy Press reported. He was arrested on suspicion of a misdemeanor count of secretly recording people without their consent in a place where they have an expectation of privacy, then cited and released.

Police later forwarded the case to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office, which is reviewing whether to file charges. Pribble, who has coached the varsity team since 2021 and first joined the program as a volunteer in 2003, was placed on leave by Tracy Unified School District.

This is not the first time Tracy Unified has faced allegations involving staff and students. In 2022, a West High School teacher was arrested and placed on leave after police said he had inappropriate relationships with multiple students.

Families may want to know whether staff were permitted to keep personal phones in student changing areas, how the locker room was supervised, and whether any other recordings exist. Because the video was deleted before police were involved, what remains on the device or in any cloud backup could become a central question.

Liability for Tracy High School Locker Room Recording

California treats secret recording in private spaces as a crime. Under Penal Code section 647, it is unlawful to use a concealed device to secretly record an identifiable person who may be undressed in a changing room or similar place where they expect privacy, and the law allows heavier penalties when the person recorded is a minor. Schools also owe students a duty of care rooted in the special relationship between school personnel and the children in their charge. Under Government Code section 815.2, a public school district can be held vicariously responsible for the negligence of its employees acting within the scope of their jobs. When staff misconduct harms students, several areas of responsibility often come into focus:

• Hiring Practices: Districts are expected to screen employees and act on any prior concerns before giving them access to students.
• Supervision: Administrators should monitor how staff interact with students, especially in locker rooms and other private spaces.
• Device Policies: Clear rules about phones and cameras in changing areas help protect student privacy.
• Reporting Duties: Teachers, coaches, and administrators are mandated reporters who must act when they suspect a child has been harmed.
• Prompt Response: Schools must act quickly to remove access, preserve evidence, and support affected students once concerns surface.

The California Supreme Court has addressed when districts can answer for harm caused by staff. In C.A. v. William S. Hart Union High School District, a 2012 decision, a student alleged that his high school’s head guidance counselor sexually abused him over several months when he was 14 and 15 years old, and that administrators knew or should have known of her past misconduct with minors. The court held that a school district may be vicariously liable under Government Code section 815.2 when administrators or supervisors negligently hire, supervise, or retain an employee who harms a student. The ruling rests on the special relationship between schools and students, which creates a duty to protect them from foreseeable harm. The decision did not determine fault in that case, but it confirmed that families can pursue claims against districts when supervisory failures are alleged.

Protecting Student Privacy and Recognizing Educator Misconduct

Misconduct by school staff is more common than many parents realize. A peer-reviewed survey of 6,632 recent high school graduates found that 11.7% reported experiencing at least one form of educator sexual misconduct during their K-12 years, most often sexual comments. Smaller shares reported receiving sexual messages or images or being touched in a sexual manner. Parents and students can take practical steps to protect privacy and speak up:

• Talk Openly: Let children know they can tell a trusted adult right away if something in a locker room or classroom feels wrong.
• Know Policies: Ask the school how it regulates staff phone use and supervision in changing areas.
• Report Quickly: Contact school administrators and local police promptly when a privacy violation is suspected.
• Document Details: Write down what happened and save any related messages, since early details can be critical later.
• Seek Support: Counseling can help students process the stress and embarrassment that privacy violations often cause.

Students should be able to trust that locker rooms and other private spaces at school are safe. Districts that hire, train, and supervise staff carefully play a central role in preventing misconduct before it happens. When violations do occur, clear policies and swift action help limit further harm. Students and families have the right to seek accountability and, in some cases, compensation for the emotional harm caused by staff misconduct. Holding institutions responsible encourages safer schools for every student.

Investigating School Staff Misconduct in Tracy

We at Feher Law offer our support and best wishes to the Tracy High School students and families affected after classmates found a phone allegedly recording them in a campus locker room. We hope the investigation leads to full accountability and to stronger policies that protect student privacy across Tracy Unified School District. This case raises serious concerns about supervision in school changing areas. Several questions still need to be addressed. How did a recording device end up in a space where students should feel safest?

Has your child been affected by school staff misconduct or a privacy violation in Tracy or elsewhere in San Joaquin County? You have rights, and when a school district controls the personnel files and internal records, seeking transparency is essential. Our team of safety advocates and accident investigators can help you understand what happened, from personnel and complaint records to supervision policies and witness accounts from students and staff. If you need answers to legal questions or any other support, we’re here for you, and you can reach out to us anytime at (310) 340-1112.