Teacher, 38, Sentenced To 3 Years For Sexually Abusing Female Students

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Authorities said a 38-year-old teacher who pleaded guilty in October to sexually abusing female high school students was sentenced Thursday to three years in state prison.

David Park, a Chino Hills resident, pleaded guilty to two felony counts -- oral copulation of a person under 16 and lewd act upon a child in 2011 and 2014.

At Thursday's sentencing, Los Angeles County Superior Court Commissioner Wade Olson ordered the defendant to register as a sex offender for life. Additionally, he was ordered to stay away from the victims for the next 10 years.

Deputy DA Kelsey McKeever-Unger said at the time of the crime, Park was a chemistry teacher at Los Altos High School in Hacienda Heights.

Authorities were alerted by a school official that Park may have been having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl toward the latter part of 2014, the prosecutor said. At the time of his arrest, sheriff's officials said sexual acts took place inside Park's classroom after class and at his home.

Park subsequently was charged on Feb. 25.

As authorities continued to investigate the case, a former student came forward and revealed Park had sexually abused her three years earlier.