Former Elementary School Teacher Convicted Of Molesting Student, Grabbing 12-Year-Old's Buttocks
WESTMINSTER (CBS) — A former Garden Grove elementary school teacher was convicted Thursday of molesting one of his 1st grade students as well as grabbing the buttocks of a 12-year-old girl at a Wal-Mart.
Christopher Micah Brazelton faces up to ten years in prison when he is sentenced on December 9.
The jurors convicted him on the molestation and groping charges but failed to reach verdicts on four other counts including lewd or lascivious acts with a minor, according to Deputy District Attorney Whitney Bokosky.
Brazelton, formerly a 1st grade teacher at Woodbury Elementary School in Garden Grove, was in the school supplies aisle of a Santa Ana Wal-Mart on October 1, 2008 when he reached over and grabbed the buttocks of a 12-year-old girl.
At least two people witnessed the groping and one man chased Brazelton through the store, according to Bokosky.
The man made Brazelton return to where the girl was standing and apologize, but he broke free again and fled. Witnesses again gave chase and Brazelton was caught and then detained until police showed up.
When officials learned Brazelton taught 1st and 4th graders, they put out a call for possible victims.
Three girls from one of his fourth grade classes in 2006 said he would rub their thighs, and two first graders alleged he would touch them on the thigh and rub their private parts over their clothes, Bokosky said.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Gregg Prickett declared a mistrial on the four other counts. The DA's office has not decided to retry that part of the case.
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