ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – A California piano teacher who sexually assaulted students during their music lessons over two decades received a 100-year prison sentence for his crimes on Friday.
According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, John Mordecai Scott VI, 65, was convicted in March of molesting eight girls and taking pornographic images of several victims, including a 10-year-old student whom he showed pornography to and filmed, KTLA reported.
In total, the music instructor was convicted of 13 felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, five felony counts of a lewd act upon a child age 14 or 15, one felony count of use of an underage person for obscene matter, one felony count of possession of child pornography, one felony count of exhibition of lewd material to a minor, one felony count of distributing pornography to a minor with the intent to engage in sexual conduct, and one misdemeanor count of annoying or molesting a child under 18, a press statement from OCDA’s office revealed.
Scott’s victim’s were eight young girls, ranging from 7- to 15-years-old. He victimized them while working as a piano teacher at his Lake Forest home, Music Maker Piano Studio in Rancho Santa Margarita, and Coast Band Music in Mission Viejo, officials said.
Scott was remanded to custody following his conviction, the DA’s office said.
The molestations and other crimes began in 1996 during piano lessons. Evidence presented included groping of breasts and coaching some of the girls to rhythmically spread their legs under the pretense that it was part of their music instruction, the DA’s office said.
“He showed multiple victims pornography and photographed one of the underage girls in pornographic poses, including in lingerie,” the news release said.
Moreover, Scott also claimed to be a doctor while molesting one of his underaged students, officials said.
During the investigation, a large collection of child pornography was discovered on Scott’s computer, according to officials.
Five people provided victim impact statements at Friday’s sentencing, KTLA reported.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer noted the trauma experienced by the victims is “unforgivable.”
“The trauma these young girls were forced to endure by someone they should have been able to trust is unforgivable,” Spitzer said in a written statement. “Pedophiles will not stop victimizing innocent children until they are removed from society. No child and no parent should have to suffer what these victims have suffered.”
