Teacher Faces Trial in Molestation Cases

A longtime Valley-area elementary school teacher was ordered Thursday to stand trial on charges he molested 10 girls.

After hearing testimony from alleged victims, some of whom are now in their 30s and 40s, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Lloyd Nash found there was sufficient evidence for the criminal case to proceed against Paul Alphonse Kreutzer.

The 62-year-old Canyon Country man, who has taught at public and parochial schools in the Los Angeles area since 1972, is charged with 30 counts of molestation-related offenses, ranging from lewd acts to sexual abuse. Deputy Public Defender Rose Reglos said Kreutzer has been falsely accused.

Kreutzer worked at three parochial schools in the 1970s and 1980s, including Our Lady of Peace in North Hills, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Newhall, according to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

He has been employed since 1986 by the Los Angeles Unified School District, teaching at Vena Avenue Elementary School in Pacoima until 1991 and at Sunland Elementary School from 1991-96. He then joined the faculty of Liggett Street Elementary School in Panorama City.

He was arrested last year after allegedly being found with child-pornography materials. Publicity resulting from that case prompted former students to report him to law enforcement, authorities said. He is currently on unpaid leave.

Kreutzer is scheduled to plead guilty Monday in U.S. District Court downtown to a federal charge of possessing child pornography, according to Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office.

Kreutzer’s next hearing is Thursday in Van Nuys Superior Court.