Middle school teacher pleads guilty to sex with student

A 38-year-old teacher at Talbert Middle School pleaded guilty Wednesday of molesting his 14-year-old student in hotel rooms and in his car in the spring of 2005.

Daniel Axtell of Santa Ana first consoled the victim after her parents had an argument; from there, he gained her parents’ trust, the district attorney’s office said, by mentoring the girl and attending family events, according to authorities.

He then began taking her to hotels, where the two had intercourse and he committed other lewd acts, and assaulted the victim in his car, authorities said.

He also drew a heart and wrote “Daniel + (victim name)” inside it on the inside of a hotel closet door, investigators said.

The victim came forward last year.

Axtell was convicted on six felony counts of lewd acts on a 14-year-old, one felony count of sexual penetration by foreign object of a minor, and one felony count of first degree burglary.

He faces up to five years in state prison, and will be sentenced March 17, 2009.