Jan. 22--Prosecutors are asking for the public's help finding other potential victims of an Orange County middle school teacher accused of sexually molesting a young girl who is a relative.
Christopher Millette, 36, a science teacher at Valadez Middle School in Placentia, has been charged with one felony count of oral copulation or penetration with a child 10 years or younger and two felony counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor.
He also faces a sentencing enhancement allegation for "substantial sexual conduct" with a child, according to the Orange County district attorney's office.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges Jan. 5, according to court records.
Prosecutors allege the incidents occurred between Aug. 1, 2012, and Dec. 28, 2014; authorities say Millette was a seventh-grade science teacher at Valadez at the time. The girl did not attend that school, authorities said.
Millette was arrested Dec. 31 and is being held on $1-million bail.
He is scheduled to appear Thursday in Fullerton for pre-trial proceedings.
If convicted, Millette faces a maximum sentence of 19 years to life in state prison and would be required to register as a sex offender for life.
The Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District said that Millette is on unpaid leave and that it notified parents of the situation before students returned from winter break.
"We are working with our legal counsel and the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to take all necessary actions to protect the students and the interests of the district," it said Thursday in a statement.
Anyone with additional information about the case, or who believes they are a victim, is asked to contact Supervising Dist. Atty. Investigator Kelly Core at (714) 347-8794.
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UPDATES
10:59 a.m. Jan. 22: This post has been updated to add comments from the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District.
This post was initially published at 7:27 p.m. Jan. 21.
