| For Immediate Release Case # 10CF3288
December 29, 2010 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
HIGH SCHOOL SPANISH TEACHER
TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR UNLAWFUL
SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH FEMALE STUDENT
SANTA ANA – A high school Spanish teacher will be arraigned tomorrow for having an unlawful sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student, whom he would meet in an Orange riverbed for sex. Scott Adrian Peterson, 48, Anaheim, is charged with two felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, four felony counts of oral copulation of a minor, and two felony counts of sexual penetration by foreign object of a minor. If convicted, he faces maximum sentence of seven years and eight months in state prison. Peterson is out of custody on $100,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
Peterson is accused of meeting 17-year-old Jane Doe, a student at Orange High School, while working at the school as a Spanish teacher. He is accused of grooming the victim by spending time with her outside of school at Disneyland and other social events.
Beginning in April 2010, Peterson is accused of having an unlawful sexual relationship with Jane Doe. He is accused of sending her sexually explicit text messages about the unlawful sexual relationship and taking sexually explicit photos of him with her. He is accused of having intercourse with Jane Doe and engaging in oral copulation and digital penetration. He is accused of regularly meeting Jane Doe at a motel and in an Orange riverbed to engage in the unlawful sex acts.
A family member of the victim became suspicious of the relationship between the defendant and Jane Doe and discovered the sexual text messages on the victim’s phone. The family member told Jane Doe’s mother, who reported it to the Orange Police Department (OPD).
Following an investigation, OPD went to arrest Peterson and learned that he was at the riverbed. Upon arriving at the riverbed, officers located Jane Doe’s car. The victim came out of the riverbed shortly after officers arrived, but was not contacted by police at that time. Peterson is accused of leaving the riverbed minutes later and was arrested at the scene.
Anyone with additional information or who believes they have been a victim is encouraged to contact Leslie Franco at (714) 744-7572 or Supervising District Attorney Investigator Randy Litwin at (714) 347-8794.
Deputy District Attorney Katherine David of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.
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