Another Teacher Has Molestation Charges Dropped

Prosecutors on Wednesday dropped all charges against a Santa Ana middle school teacher accused of fondling 13 students, marking the fourth failed or aborted prosecution of an Orange County sexual molestation case in five months.

Juan Carlos Contreras, 41, a computer teacher at Spurgeon Intermediate School, faced 26 counts of molesting students ages 10 to 12. But the case suffered a significant blow when the girls gave contradictory accounts to investigators and on the stand during preliminary hearings, authorities said.

“Further investigation came up with information that was not consistent in certain areas,” Santa Ana Police Sgt. Raul Luna said. “There were some differences in the chain of events in the witnesses’ accounts. At this point in time, it was not in the best interest of justice to continue with the case.”

The dismissal of the counts against Contreras comes three months after another Santa Ana teacher, Jerome Thompson Wilhoit, 38, was acquitted of similar charges involving three students at Wallace R. Davis Elementary School. In December, former Fountain Valley School District teacher Jeffrey Atkinson was declared “factually innocent” by the judge after being acquitted on charges that he molested girls in his third-grade class. And in October, former El Toro High School track coach Vernon Smith, accused of fondling his athletes, had his charges dismissed after two juries failed to reach unanimous verdicts.

The string of cases has prompted some defense attorneys to charge that authorities are too aggressive in their investigation--an allegation authorities strongly deny.

“The police are put in a difficult situation because their job is to protect the public, but at the same time, they can be overzealous and try to find something that’s not there,” Contreras’ attorney John Montano said.

Prosecutors and police, however, said they performed a judicious investigation in Contreras’ case and simply couldn’t build enough evidence to go to trial.

“You have to make a determination whether there is reasonable evidence for a conviction,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Scott Simmons, who prosecuted Contreras. “In this case, there wasn’t. This is not going to change the way we file these cases.”

District attorney spokeswoman Tori Richards said that despite the outcome of the four cases, roughly 92% of all molestation cases filed in Orange County result in convictions. That’s in line with the general felony conviction rate.

Prosecutors also turn down the majority of molestation cases brought by the police, she said.

“When you are dealing with children there will always be inconsistencies in their statements,” she said. “And sometimes these problems cannot be overcome.”

Contreras, who has always maintained his innocence, said he is simply relieved his ordeal is over. He said the accusations were fabricated by a handful of his students who were failing his course.

Contreras, a native of Peru, said he is very warm with his students and often hugs them as a form of encouragement.

“It is a form of carino,” he said referring to the Spanish word for affection.

Contreras was suspended without pay last October when he was arrested, and said he has no immediate plans or prospects for a job.

“I am not really sure what’s going to happen,” he said. “I am just trying to enjoy this day as much as I can.”

School district officials did not return calls seeking comment.