Valley Charter School Teacher Sentenced For Molesting Students

VAN NUYS, CA — A former teacher and lacrosse coach convicted of sex- related charges involving 18 underage female students at a Van Nuys charter high school was sentenced Wednesday to nearly 11 years in county jail.

Scott Silva, 44, was also ordered to register as a sex offender and to serve five years probation, according to Frank Mateljan of the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office.

Silva was convicted of 25 misdemeanor charges:16 counts of child molestation, six counts of sexual battery, two counts of lewd conduct on a child and one count of false imprisonment.

His conduct with female students at Birmingham Charter Community High School included skin-on-skin contact with at least one underage female victim, touching of private parts over the clothes and lewd comments between 2016 and 2018, according to the City Attorney's Office.

Silva was arrested last November at his Simi Valley home and has remained behind bars since then.

"The young victims in this case showed extraordinary courage by coming forward and reporting these atrocious crimes," City Attorney Mike Feuer said in a statement released shortly after Silva was convicted. "This conviction sends a strong message that my office will continue to take swift action to stop abuse and find justice and support for all victims."

City News Service