Former Teacher To Stand Trial For Alleged Sexual Assault Of Girl, 13
SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — The Orange County District Attorney's office announced Wednesday that a former teacher will stand trial for allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old.
Jeffrey Scott Jones, 56, Huntington Beach, is charged with two felony counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one felony count of continuous sexual abuse. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 68 years to life in state prison.
Opening statements are scheduled to begin Thursday at 9 a.m. in Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.
At the time of the alleged crimes, 2013, Jones was working as a teacher for advanced placement English at Libra Academy in Huntington Park.
Prior to the alleged incidents at Libra Academy, Jones is accused of having regular access to children as a teacher for 27 years, including at Bell High School in the City of Bell and Gahr High School in Cerritos.
Jane Doe was not one of the defendant's students, the prosecutor said.
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Between Sept. 1, 2012, and April 30, 2013, Jones is accused of sexually assaulting Doe, including touching the victim over and under her clothing on different occasions.
Jones is accused of raping the victim on two occasions in May 2013. At the time of his arrest, the victim was described as "a female relative." The DA says the alleged crime was reported to the Huntington Beach Police Department, who investigated the case and arrested Jones at his home the following month.
Deputy DA Heather Brown of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting the case.