Plea and Bail Review Pushed Back for Teacher Accused of Having Sex With Student

A teacher arrested on suspicion of having sex with a minor is scheduled to return to court Tuesday so that the court may review his bail paperwork. He is also scheduled to enter a plea.

Peter Kolesnikov, 38, still in custody, appeared briefly at a Fremont Hall of Justice courtroom Monday morning. His attorney had prepared to turn in paperwork so that Kolesnikov may be released on reduced bail, but Judge Dennis McLaughlin pushed the matter over to Tuesday.

Kolesnikov faces 22 counts of sexual assault, including charges of statutory rape, oral copulation of a minor and communicating with a minor with criminal intent, according to court records. He also faces one charge of possession of marijuana with intent to sell.

Kolesnikov, who was originally held on a $1 million bail, had his .

The motion to reduce Kolesnikov’s bail was granted despite Deputy District Attorney Jimmie Wilson’s assertion that Kolesnikov is “a danger to the community.”

“I think that the defendant has access to young girls, and my concern is that if put out on bail, there’s an opportunity he would resume what he’s done in this case,” Wilson said last Thursday.

Kolesnikov was after authorities received information that Kolesnikov had engaged in sexual relations with a 16-year-old girl over a nine-month period from March to November of last year. He was on his way to meet with the juvenile victim at an undisclosed location in Hayward during the time of his arrest, police said.

The victim, now 17, told police the relationship began with kissing and grew into sexual encounters in private homes and motels in Alameda County.

Police believe there may be additional victims.

According to co-workers and district staff, Kolesnikov taught English and some art classes at James Logan High School for 12 years until he took leave at the end of the 2010-11 school year. The district would not comment on the nature of his leave but police said it was unrelated to criminal charges.

He was well-liked among both students and staff, according to , though some online reviews were mixed, with posters calling him "brilliant" but "lacking in enthusiasm" for teaching.

Kolesnikov’s supporters have also created an email address, supportmrk@aol.com, where students can send statement of character letters to aide in his case.

Kolesnikov is scheduled to return to Tuesday at 9 a.m. in Dept. 605 at the Fremont Hall of Justice.

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