Teacher Sentenced for Molestation

Originally published by The Associated Press, September 19, 2002

SANTA ANA, Calif. — An elementary school teacher was sentenced Thursday to 24 years in prison for molesting three students in his classroom at two schools.

Jason Abhyankar, 28, was found guilty in February on nine counts of molestation. He was acquitted of one charge involving a fourth boy.

Abhyankar was convicted of molesting the boys, ages 9 to 11, in his fourth-grade classroom during school hours at Village View Elementary School in Huntington Beach and Portola Hills Elementary School in Trabuco Canyon. The crimes occurred between September 1998 and January 2000.

Prosecutors presented evidence that Huntington Beach school officials received many complaints from parents and other teachers about the teacher's behavior.

He eventually was fired. But the school principal wrote a recommendation for Abhyankar, who was then hired by the Portola Hills school, prosecutor Matt Murphy said.

"The conduct was outrageous," Murphy said.

The parents of the students have filed a $60 million civil lawsuit against the school district, the principal and the former teacher.