2nd LA Teacher Accused of Widespread Sex Abuse

A fourth-grade teacher who worked for nearly 40 years in the Los Angeles Unified School District has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing 20 students, a year after another veteran teacher accused of molesting nearly two dozen students brought national attention to the district and the problem of classroom sex abuse. After a 10-month investigation, eight felony counts of continual sexual abuse and seven counts of lewd acts upon a child were filed yesterday against Robert Pimentel of Newport Beach for abuse that allegedly took place at George De La Torre Jr. Elementary.

Pimentel, 57, left his fourth-grade teaching position last March when allegations arose from several girls who told their parents he inappropriately touched them and police opened an investigation. District officials immediately removed him from campus, but before the official dismissal process could begin, Pimentel, who had worked for the district since 1974, retired. Pimentel is suspected of inappropriately touching the children over and under their clothing; the allegations cover a period between September 2011 and March 2012. He is also suspected of the sexual abuse of one adult. (More Los Angeles stories.)