Peterson, Santa Ana High School teacher convicted of sexual relationship with a minor.

Posted By CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA  - Scott Adrian Peterson, high school Spanish teacher was sentenced today to four years in state prison after being convicted of having an unlawful sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student, whom he would meet in an Orange riverbed.  

Peterson, 50, Anaheim, pleaded guilty to a court offer, Aug. 27, 2012, to ix felony counts. According to the Orange County District Attorneys (OCDA) office, under the new state sentencing laws, the court split Peterson's sentence and  was ordered to serve 16 months in jail and the remaining three years under mandatory supervision. 

According to the OCDA, Peterson met 17-year-old Jane Doe, a student at Orange High School, while working at the school as a Spanish teacher. He groomed the victim by spending time with her outside of school at Disneyland and other social events. 

Beginning in April 2010, Peterson had an unlawful sexual relationship with Jane Doe. He took sexually explicit photos of himself with the victim and sent her sexually explicit text messages about the unlawful sexual relationship.

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 left the riverbed minutes later and was arrested at the scene. 

Deputy District Attorney Nicole Varner of the Sexual Assault Unit prosecuted this case.