School Jewelry Teacher Sought by Detectives : Mystery: Instructor wanted by Newport police as missing person and for questioning on allegations of bilking investors out of $60,000.

NEWPORT BEACH — A high school jewelry instructor who also allegedly handled investments is being sought by police here both as a missing person and for questioning about complaints that he bilked investors of $60,000, Sgt. Andy Gonis said Wednesday.

Police began looking for Stanley Gordon, 54, on Friday after his wife filed a missing person report. Gonis said that before Gordon’s disappearance police had received four separate complaints about him from unhappy investors.

“In addition to the missing person report, we want to question him (Gordon) because he’s mentioned as a suspect in several grand theft reports,” Gonis said. “Four people who live in Newport Beach have said they invested money with him that he didn’t return.” The amount they invested totals $60,000, he said.

The unhappy investors, who were not publicly identified, told police that Gordon had promised to buy gold for them. The investors alleged that Gordon took their money but never delivered the gold, Gonis said.

“It’s still very much an open investigation,” Gonis said. “We don’t know the full scope yet of the loss.”

The missing man’s car was found late Sunday night “near LAX (Los Angeles International Airport),” Gonis said, adding there was no indication of foul play.

Gonis declined to specify where “near LAX” Gordon’s car was found. Asked if police believe that Gordon flew from Los Angeles International, Gonis said, “It’s a possibility.”

Gordon has taught high school arts and crafts in Santa Ana Unified School District since 1971. Gonis said Gordon’s wife, Nancy, filed a missing persons report Friday after he failed to return to their Newport Beach home Thursday.

Nancy Gordon told police that she last saw her husband about 4:30 p.m. March 25. He was wearing jeans, a denim shirt and black boots and had left the home in a 1990 Mitsubishi Montero, which was the vehicle police found near LAX.

Diane Thomas, spokeswoman for the Santa Ana Unified School District, said Wednesday that the district has received no complaints about the teacher. “There are 22 years of clean record,” she said, referring to Gordon’s employment with the district. Gordon has been on medical leave since December for a heart-related ailment, she said, and is still officially listed by the district as being on medical leave.

“He taught high school classes during the day at Santa Ana High and evening ROP (regional occupational program) classes at night,” Thomas said. She added that Gordon’s record indicates that “he was a fine teacher. . . . He ran a good program that had been commended during a program quality review.”

Santa Ana police said Wednesday that no one has filed a complaint with them about Gordon.

Gordon taught adult classes under the jurisdiction of the Central County Regional Occupational Program. Elizabeth Parker, president of of the Board of Trustees of that regional occupational program, said Wednesday that she knew few details about the missing man.

“All of this came as a total surprise to us,” Parker said.

Andrew Hernandez, a former principal of Santa Ana High, said there was always a high demand for Gordon’s classes. “He had an extremely aggressive jewelry program, and there would be times I would have to restrict the number of students going into his class because the demand was so high,” Hernandez said.

Mario and Fermin Valencia, owners of Valencia Jewelry Store in Santa Ana, said they knew many students who had taken Gordon’s classes and that he was a popular teacher, often praised for his efforts to help students.

Former Principal Hernandez said Gordon was very involved with high school activities and over the years had helped to coach track and assisted at student proms and faculty retirement parties.

“He was just great,” Hernandez said. “I’m just sorry that these allegations have tarnished some of the good things that Stan Gordon has done.”

Times staff writer Timothy Chou contributed to this story.