Burbank teacher arrested on suspicion of unlawful sex with former LAUSD student
A Burbank Unified teacher was arrested on suspicion of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor this week after a former student came forward with allegations of an inappropriate sexual encounter, authorities say.
Sean Sigler, 53, has been accused by a 17-year-old girl of engaging in inappropriate sexual contact with her.
According to the Burbank Police Department, Sigler met the girl when she was a fifth-grade student at Gardner Street Elementary School when he was a teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Sgt. Derek Green, a spokesman for the department, said the alleged incident occurred recently and there was no information to suggest that it occurred when the girl was in fifth grade or that it happened at a Burbank school. Also, the girl has never been enrolled in a school within Burbank Unified.
“We do know that these two have known each other for many years, but the extent and degree of that relationship is being investigated,†Green said.
He added that, although the girl is not a Burbank Unified student, the incident is said to have occurred in the city of Burbank.
Sigler, a Burbank resident, worked for Los Angeles Unified from March 1998 to June 2016. Since 2016, he has been employed as a fifth-grade teacher at Bret Harte Elementary in Burbank.
Matt Hill, superintendent for Burbank Unified, said in a statement the district takes the allegations against Sigler seriously and has placed him on leave. The district is currently on winter break until Monday.
“We will cooperate fully with the police investigation and will also conduct our own internal investigation into this matter,†he said.
Sigler was placed under arrest by detectives on Tuesday and posted $100,000 bail on Thursday, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s website. He is scheduled to appear at the Burbank Courthouse for a hearing on Jan. 25.
Green said Sigler could face additional charges with special enhancements based on the victim’s age pending further review by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.
Twitter: @Andy_Truc
UPDATES:
Jan. 5, 4:00 p.m.: This article was updated with information on Sigler’s court date and bail.
This article was originally published on Jan. 3 at 11:10 a.m.
