Valley Charter School Teacher Guilty Of Molesting Students

VAN NUYS, CA — A former teacher and lacrosse coach at a Van Nuys charter high school was convicted Tuesday of 25 misdemeanor molestation counts involving 18 underage female students.

Scott Silva, 44, was found guilty of 16 counts of child molestation, six counts of sexual battery, two counts of lewd conduct on a child and one count of false imprisonment, according to the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office.

Silva -- who is set to be sentenced June 19 in a Van Nuys courtroom -- could face up to 22 1/2 years in county jail and be ordered to register as a sex offender, according to Frank Mateljan of the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office.

Silva's 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.

He 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," said City Attorney Mike Feuer. "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