MARTINEZ — A former West Contra Costa Unified School District teacher has been arrested and charged with molesting a student throughout 2021.
Jane Shetterly, 42, of Martinez, was charged with 12 felonies, including three counts of lewd act upon a child, one count of contacting a minor for lewd purposes and eight counts alleging specific sexual acts on a minor. Shetterly pleaded not guilty at a July 11 arraignment before Judge Rebecca Hardie, court records show.
Shetterly was arrested last year after the alleged victim’s mother told authorities that she found evidence her daughter was being abused by a teacher. Police say the victim is a special needs student and that Shetterly abused her during private lessons at Shetterly’s home.
The charges were filed June 30, and Shetterly turned herself in nearly two weeks later, court records show. She remains in Contra Costa County jail in lieu of $1.1 million bail.
The alleged victim has sued the school district in federal court, alleging officials ignored warning signs that Shetterly was a predator and failed to protect her after allegations of inappropriate behavior surfaced. The suit was filed by civil attorney Micha Star Liberty, who called the charges “the first steps to achieving accountability and will hopefully expedite healing from this horrific trauma for my client.”‘
Shetterly was fired from the district after her arrest last year, according to multiple law enforcement sources.
In court records, police say Shetterly met the girl when she was a freshman and that their relationship slowly escalated from a friendship to sexual abuse. The girl reported that she and Shetterly kissed more than 100 times, that Shetterly wrote the girl “love letters” and that the sexual abuse took place at the girl’s home and Shetterly’s residence, among other places.
The evidence reported sexually explicit pictures found on an electronic device, but police have not said exactly what it depicted. When she reported the crimes, the alleged victim’s mother reported to authorities she discovered pictures and video showing some of the sexual abuse taking place, court records show.
Police allege that Shetterly bought alcohol for the girl and took her to sex shops, according to court records. They also allege that Shetterly told the girl to falsely accuse her parents of abuse so that Shetterly could adopt her and “scripted” messages to that effect for the girl to submit to authorities.
Source: www.mercurynews.com