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Music teacher in contaminated flute case faces child pornography charges

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The founder of a music program that became the subject of a state investigation last year over allegations that flutes it distributed to children in several school districts — including Newport-Mesa Unified and Fountain Valley — were contaminated with semen has been indicted on federal charges of multiple child sex crimes, including production of child pornography.

John Edward Zeretzke, 60, of Ventura was arrested Thursday on suspicion of coercing and attempting to coerce children to send him pornography of themselves and of traveling to the Philippines with intent to commit sexual misconduct with other minors, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Zeretzke, a musician and teacher, contracted with school districts across Southern California through his program Flutes Across the World.

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The new federal case is not linked to the state case involving Flutes Across the World, and “none of the victims are local,” U.S. attorney’s office spokesman Thom Mrozek said Monday.

“He contacted the victims in our case on the internet,” Mrozek said.

The California attorney general’s office declined to comment Monday other than to say the flute case remains under investigation.

Zeretzky was ordered released from custody on $20,000 bond Monday, and his trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 6.

He could face life in prison if convicted of all charges. The charge of producing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison.

Zeretzke was a teaching artist for the Music Center of Los Angeles for more than 30 years, the Los Angeles Times reported in 2015.

The website for Flutes Across the World has been taken down, but Zeretzke’s site, Zworldmusic.com, remains and describes him as an “award-winning composer, artist educator, humanitarian and performer.”

The website also says Flutes Across the World was designed to teach children how to make two flutes out of PVC pipes — one to keep and one to be donated to a child in need.

charity.lindsey@latimes.com

Twitter @CharityNLindsey

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