American Canyon manager was tipped off to suspect when he was informed of alleged child abuse, court documents show

When American Canyon High School interim principal Andrew Goff learned on April 3 that a teacher had possibly sexually exploited a student, Napa County detectives say he failed to report it to law enforcement or child protective services.

Instead, according to court documents, he informed the accused teacher.

Goff, 61, also did not speak with the student who accused the teacher, Brad Rowell, court documents say.

On June 27, the Napa County District Attorney's Office charged Goff with failing to report Rowell's alleged criminal activity.

Rowell, 41, a physical education teacher and track coach, was arrested on the school campus April 9 on suspicion of three felony counts, and was arrested again April 12 at his Sonoma home after police found evidence for additional charges.

He faces 25 counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, lewd acts with a child, oral copulation on a person under 18 and possession of photographs and videos depicting a minor engaging in sexual activity.

The crimes allegedly occurred in multiple counties and involved two unidentified Jane Does. Initial charges focused on Jane Doe 1, who authorities described as a 16-year-old student from American Canyon, from July 2023 to April 10.

In June, the district attorney's office added three more felony charges — lewd acts on Jane Doe 2, which occurred between August 2008 and January 2010 in Stanislaus County. The girl was identified as being under 14 at the time, according to the complaint.

Rowell has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Goff was placed on administrative leave after the allegations came to light in April. Julie Bordes, a spokeswoman for the Napa Valley Unified School District, previously said he would not return next year and was serving only in an interim capacity for the school year.

Goff, a former high school badminton coach, had been an assistant principal at the high school for six years and a district member since 1996.

He was considered a mandatory reporter, which meant he was required by law to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to child protective services or law enforcement.

The charge is a misdemeanor that carries a possible sentence of up to six months in jail or a $1,000 fine, or both. Goff is scheduled to appear in Napa Superior Court for an arraignment on July 11.

You can reach staff writer Edward Booth at 707-521-5281 or [email protected].