SIMI VALLEY : Man Convicted in Girls’ Videotaping

A Simi Valley man accused of taking sexually oriented photos and videotapes of cheerleaders at Southern California schools has been convicted and sentenced in the second of three cases, but still faces trial on the third, officials said Thursday.

Steven L. Ettinger, 38, a commercial scheduler at ABC-TV in Los Angeles, was fined $850 and ordered to undergo counseling, donate his camera equipment to social service programs, and stay away from schools during the three-year term of his probation.

Ettinger entered no-contest pleas Wednesday before Antelope Municipal Judge Richard Spann to two misdemeanor counts of being a disruptive presence at a school. Those charges stemmed from videotape Ettinger shot at Antelope Valley Christian School in Lancaster.

Sheriff’s deputies said Ettinger traveled to many Southern California schools and, during games or practices, took pictures of fully clothed cheerleaders that focused on girls’ crotches.

Earlier this month, Ettinger pleaded to two misdemeanor counts in Glendale Municipal Court stemming from similar incidents at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta. He received a similar sentence of probation, counseling and was ordered to stay away from schools.

“What we are trying to do here is prevent him from doing this again,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Mi Young Noh, prosecutor in that case.

In the third case, Ettinger faces trial on seven counts of misdemeanor child annoying in Van Nuys Municipal Court. Those charges stem from pictures Ettinger allegedly took at Van Nuys High School.