Montebello Unified teacher arrested on suspicion of having sexual relationship with a student
A high school teacher with the Montebello Unified School District was arrested Friday on suspicion of having a sexual relationship at his home with a 17-year-old female student who attended Vail High School where he worked, authorities said.
Brian Lee Ward, 46, of Whittier, was arrested on suspicion of statutory rape and is in custody on $100,000 bail, according to the Whittier Police Department.
Montebello school officials notified law enforcement in December after learning about Ward’s activity with the student who no longer attends Vail High School.
Montebello police investigators determined the alleged crime occurred at Ward’s home in the 7200 block of Comstock Avenue in Whittier. The investigation was then turned over to the Whittier Police Department.
Ward had developed a sexual relationship with the student over a period of several months last year, police said. Though she was not his student, she did attend Vail, where Ward is a teacher.
The Montebello school district superintendent’s office could not immediately be reached for comment.
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