Santa Monica, CALIFORNIA

May 4, 2008 - Thomas Beltran, 60, a seventh grade teacher of English as a second language at Lincoln Middle School, was arrested on charges he molested one, and maybe as many as four, female students.

Police said a 12-year-old student complained to her parents Friday that Beltran had sexually abused her. During the interview with the victim it became clear that there are possibly additional victims.

Full Name: Thomas Arthur Beltran

Santa Monica Police Press Release (dated May 4, 2008)
Beltran is being held on $1.1 million bail.

This is an ongoing investigation and anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the Santa Monica Police Department Detectives at (310) 458-8451 (M – F, 8 AM – 5 PM) or the Communications Center at (310) 458-8491 (during non-business hours).

Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call the SMPD Detectives Tip Line at (310) 458-8449 or the WeTip hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463).

ARRAIGNED May 6 - Beltran was arraigned Tuesday. The Los Angeles County district attorney's office says a Santa Monica middle school teacher has been charged with sexually molesting five female students. Prosecutors will be asking for $3.3 million bail.

NOT GUILTY PLEA In a story in the Los Angeles Times dated May 7 (and today is the 6th) : Beltran pleaded not guilty to 14 felony counts, including eight counts of a lewd act on a child, three counts of continuous sexual abuse and three counts of sexual penetration of a foreign object on a child under 14. At the prosecutor's request, Superior Court Judge Keith Schwartz raised Beltran's bail to $3.3 million. His next court date is June 6.

ODD NOTE: Officials declined to say whether Beltran had been accused of improper behavior or disciplined in the past.

INVESTIGATED IN 2006 - May 8 - Beltran was investigated, but not charged, in connection with the same crime in 2006, officials said Wednesday.

There was a lack of evidence at the time to file charges," said Jane Robison, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

"But based on new allegations, new victims and more evidence, sufficient evidence was developed to include the previous alleged victim" in this case.

School Board President Oscar de la Torre said that he was shocked to hear of a 2006 investigation and that he was never informed of it while he was a board member at that time.

Deputy District Attorney Robin Sax Katzenstein, who is assigned to the case, told the court she had videotape showing Beltran molesting a girl in his classroom.

MORE VICTIMS? May 8 - The Los Angeles Times reported that authorities are investigating new allegations -- some going back to 1998. "At least five more victims have come forward and are being interviewed by police right now," said Jane Robison, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

MORE CHARGES June 6 - Beltran is expected to be arraigned today on nine additional charges today involving three new victims.

As the investigation continued, police began to contact all of Beltran's former students. They also found a videotape recording of at least one of the alleged molestations, police said.

The charges included an incident in 2006 that was investigated by police and reported to the school principal but that prosecutors said lacked sufficient evidence to file charges. School board and district officials said a "breakdown in communication" and changes to school and district staffing prevented the incident from being fully examined by officials.

PRIOR ACCUSATIONS June 6 - Beltran pleaded not guilty to the newest charges. As for the prior accusations,

Since Beltran's arrest last month, school board and district officials said a "breakdown in communication" and changes in school and district staffing had prevented the 2006 incident from being fully examined.

Current Lincoln Middle School administrators said that before Beltran's arrest last month they had no knowledge of the previous investigation. Assistant Supt. Mike Matthews acknowledged there was no indication of any complaints or previous incidents in Beltran's personnel file.

June 21 - The principal and assistant principal of the school were transferred. Since last month, the district has worked to significantly revamp and improve its child abuse reporting procedures, creating a task force of parents to help advise the process.