Ex-Diamond Bar teacher guilty of lewd acts against student, 13

A 43-year-old former middle school teacher was found guilty this week of committing lewd acts against a student and possession of child pornography, prosecutors said.

Steven Andrews -- a former teacher at Lorbeer Middle School in Diamond Bar -- was convicted Wednesday of 17 felony counts: six counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, two counts of oral copulation of a person under 16, five counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object, three counts of lewd act upon a child and one count of possession or control of child pornography, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Jurors deliberated less than a day before reaching a verdict, prosecutors said.

Andrews, of Anaheim, began a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old female student in May 2011.

Andrews taught the victim for about a year before the sexual misconduct started, prosecutors said. Some of the incidents took place outside of the school.

The relationship was brought to the attention of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department by a teacher who grew concerned over the interaction between the student and Andrews. The case was then investigated by the sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau.

Andrews has remained in custody since he was arrested on Sept. 30, 2011.

Andrews, who is scheduled to be sentenced April 24, faces a maximum sentence of 15 years, eight months in state prison. He must also register as a sex offender, according to prosecutors.

ruben.vives@latimes.com

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