A high school teacher from Long Beach accused of sexually abusing a 17-year-old boy could get 10 years in state prison if he’s convicted of the charges filed against him this week.
Prosecutors on Wednesday levied four felony counts against Andrew Bueno-Potts, 43, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.
The charges include one count each of sodomy by intoxication, sodomy of a person under 18, sexual penetration by foreign object and intoxication, and sexual penetration by foreign object of a person under 18.
Bueno-Potts pleaded not guilty at his first court appearance Thursday, according to prosecutors.
Bueno-Potts is a teacher Ocean View High School in Huntington Beach, according to authorities.
The teenager he allegedly abused didn’t attend that school, but the two met at a school function, police said.
“The sexual assaults allegedly occurred at the defendant’s residence when he let the victim live with him between July and August 2017,” prosecutors said in a news release. Police said Bueno-Potts also abused the boy while they were in San Francisco together.
Police said Bueno-Potts gave the boy alcohol and alkyl nitrate, a chemical sometimes used as a euphoric inhalant, before abusing him.
Bueno-Potts lived a few blocks away from Wilson High School, according to the address listed for him in jail records.
Police arrested Bueno-Potts Tuesday and quickly released his mugshot, asking for anyone else he may have victimized to come forward.
Bueno-Potts is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail, according to authorities.
Those who want to report an incident should contact Police Dispatch at 562-435-6711 or Child Abuse Detective Denise Green at 562-570-7321. Anonymous tips may be submitted through “LA Crime Stoppers” by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the “P3 Tips” app to your smart phone (available at the Apple App store and Google Play), or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.