LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Los Angeles police say a fourth-grade teacher in the classroom for nearly 40 years has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing 20 students and one adult.
Police said in a statement that Robert Pimentel of Newport Beach, a teacher at George De La Torre Jr. Elementary in the Wilmington area, was arrested Wednesday and was being held on $12 million bail.
Police say he's been charged with 15 felonies, and is expected to be charged with misdemeanours for the remaining incidents.
The Los Angeles Unified School District said in a statement that when the investigation began last March, Pimentel was immediately removed from campus and parents and state credentialing authorities were informed.
The district says Pimentel retired before he could be fired. He had worked for LAUSD since 1974.
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