SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Notices to parents were to be sent out Monday with information about a veteran teacher at a Santa Monica middle school who was arrested on suspicion of molesting at least four female students in his classroom during school hours. Video

Thomas Arthur Beltran, 60, was arrested Saturday, a day after a 12-year-old girl at Lincoln Middle School, 1501 E. California St., told her parents that Beltran had molested her, according to Santa Monica police.

"Santa Monica police detectives received information that a 12-year-old Lincoln Middle School student was the victim of repeated sexual assaults by her teacher in the classroom," said Santa Monica police Lt. Dan Salerno.

Story continues below ↓

Investigators later found three other girls who made similar complaints.

The alleged victims are all seventh grade girls.

"We have identified a total of four victims and believe there might be more," Salerno said. "I would encourage anyone with information about the suspect or the investigation, regardless of when it occurred, to contact the Santa Monica Police Department."

Beltran was booked on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts involving children under the age of 14 and continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, Salerno said. He has not yet been charged by the District Attorney's Office. He was jailed on $1.1 million bail.

Beltran, a seventh grade teacher of English as a second language, has been with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District for 30 years and been teaching at Lincoln for about 20 years.

In addition to the notice from the school district, a meeting for parents is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the school, and counselors will be available for students during the school day.

District Superintendent Dianne Talarico also issued a statement saying student safety is the district's highest priority.

Some parents and students expressed disbelief that the well-regarded teacher was a sex offender, calling him a "nice guy" with a stellar reputation.

Beltran has been married for 35 years. His only child, Jennifer, also became a middle school teacher in Northern California; she died of cancer four years ago, at the age of 30, The Times reported.

Jennifer's widower, George Lopez, 33, told The Times he was shocked to hear that Beltran had been arrested.

He said Beltran was family-oriented, loved photography and was "a great all-around person."

"Very, very difficult to believe," Lopez said. "I mean, he's been the least likely person I could think of, of everybody that I know that is in a position like that, who would do something like that."

Christina Hobkirk, wife of Lincoln Assistant Principal Carl Hobkirk, who have three children at the school, also told The Times she was surprised by the arrest.

"I don't know what evidence they have or anything like that, but it just doesn't seem possible," Hobkirk said. "I just think that it can't be."

More News From knbc.com:

Cypress Man Says He Played Dumb During Hotel Robbery

Judge: Pico-Olympic Plan Requires More Analysis

Former Officer Sentenced For Robberies Staged As Drug Raids

Husband Takes Wife's Last Name On Driver's License

Pomona Man Pleads Guilty To Lying About Medal Of Honor

Rate this story

Low

High

• View Top Rated stories