Anon Guy
2004-01-03 12:22:09 UTC
The Desert Sun
January 1, 2004
Police seize videos in searching home
Teacher facing seduction charges after his arrest
By Trey Clark
Investigators seized several items Wednesday during a search of the
home and classroom of a private school teacher who was arrested last
week on suspicion of attempting to seduce two teenage girls.
Evan Cosden, 43, a Marywood Country Day School teacher, was arrested
on Dec. 24 in Palm Desert on two misdemeanor charges and one felony.
He allegedly paid a teenage girl $50 to kick him in the groin and
spit in his mouth, according to the Riverside County Sheriffs
Department.
Two girls, aged 15 and 16 from Indio, told investigators that one of
them performed the acts after Cosden told them he was a producer
from a stunt television program on MTV.
The events occurred "a couple days prior" to Cosdens arrest on
Christmas Eve, according to Dennis Gutierrez, a spokesman for the
Riverside County Sheriffs Department.
Investigators do not yet know where the alleged incidents took place.
On Wednesday, sheriffs investigators from the Palm Desert station
executed search warrants on Cosdens Palm Desert home and his
classroom at the Marywood school. They said they seized computers,
video cassettes, floppy disks and paperwork.
Investigators said they continue to look for any storage facilities
that may have been rented by Cosden.
Cosden was arrested shortly after 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve in the
Circuit City parking lot, where investigators say he had agreed to
meet with the girls to discuss other possible "stunts."
Cosden is charged with annoying a child under 18 and contributing to
the delinquency of a minor -- both misdemeanors -- and the felony
count of attempting to use sexually explicit material with the intent
of seducing a minor.
Deputies were called to the scene by Janna Lesner, a 19-year-old
friend of the two teenage girls.
Lesner had been alerted to the activities by the girls, who told her
about Cosden and the "stunts" one of them had performed, according
to Gutierrez.
The deputy said Lesner indicated she could sense that something was
not right and decided to accompany the girls to the Circuit City
parking lot, where Cosden had agreed to meet the girls to "do some
more stunts."
The girls pointed out Cosden in the lot and Lesner parked her car
behind Cosdens so that he could not drive away. After confronting
him, Lesner called the Sheriffs Department.
Cosden made an attempt to drive away, but gave up after backing his
car into Lesners, Gutierrez said.
When deputies arrived, Lesner placed Cosden under citizens arrest for
child annoyance.
A further investigation led to a nearby hotel room reportedly reserved
by Cosden.
Inside the room, investigators said they found nude photos of Cosden,
sexual toys and aids, condoms and a video camera. Cosden was
then charged with the additional counts of attempting to show explicit
materials to minors and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
"As far as we know, Cosden never actually showed the girls any lewd
material," Gutierrez said. "If that would have been the case, they
would have charged him with child molestation."
Gutierrez said to his knowledge the girls never were in the hotel
room. Cosden is currently free after posting $25,000 bail. His
arraignment is set for Feb. 2 in Indio.
Gutierrez said he was not aware of Cosden participating in similar
acts in the past, but that investigators were working to find that
information out, as well as what acts Cosden may have had planned for
the girls.
http://www.thedesertsun.com/news/stories2003/local/20040101025031.shtml
January 1, 2004
Police seize videos in searching home
Teacher facing seduction charges after his arrest
By Trey Clark
Investigators seized several items Wednesday during a search of the
home and classroom of a private school teacher who was arrested last
week on suspicion of attempting to seduce two teenage girls.
Evan Cosden, 43, a Marywood Country Day School teacher, was arrested
on Dec. 24 in Palm Desert on two misdemeanor charges and one felony.
He allegedly paid a teenage girl $50 to kick him in the groin and
spit in his mouth, according to the Riverside County Sheriffs
Department.
Two girls, aged 15 and 16 from Indio, told investigators that one of
them performed the acts after Cosden told them he was a producer
from a stunt television program on MTV.
The events occurred "a couple days prior" to Cosdens arrest on
Christmas Eve, according to Dennis Gutierrez, a spokesman for the
Riverside County Sheriffs Department.
Investigators do not yet know where the alleged incidents took place.
On Wednesday, sheriffs investigators from the Palm Desert station
executed search warrants on Cosdens Palm Desert home and his
classroom at the Marywood school. They said they seized computers,
video cassettes, floppy disks and paperwork.
Investigators said they continue to look for any storage facilities
that may have been rented by Cosden.
Cosden was arrested shortly after 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve in the
Circuit City parking lot, where investigators say he had agreed to
meet with the girls to discuss other possible "stunts."
Cosden is charged with annoying a child under 18 and contributing to
the delinquency of a minor -- both misdemeanors -- and the felony
count of attempting to use sexually explicit material with the intent
of seducing a minor.
Deputies were called to the scene by Janna Lesner, a 19-year-old
friend of the two teenage girls.
Lesner had been alerted to the activities by the girls, who told her
about Cosden and the "stunts" one of them had performed, according
to Gutierrez.
The deputy said Lesner indicated she could sense that something was
not right and decided to accompany the girls to the Circuit City
parking lot, where Cosden had agreed to meet the girls to "do some
more stunts."
The girls pointed out Cosden in the lot and Lesner parked her car
behind Cosdens so that he could not drive away. After confronting
him, Lesner called the Sheriffs Department.
Cosden made an attempt to drive away, but gave up after backing his
car into Lesners, Gutierrez said.
When deputies arrived, Lesner placed Cosden under citizens arrest for
child annoyance.
A further investigation led to a nearby hotel room reportedly reserved
by Cosden.
Inside the room, investigators said they found nude photos of Cosden,
sexual toys and aids, condoms and a video camera. Cosden was
then charged with the additional counts of attempting to show explicit
materials to minors and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
"As far as we know, Cosden never actually showed the girls any lewd
material," Gutierrez said. "If that would have been the case, they
would have charged him with child molestation."
Gutierrez said to his knowledge the girls never were in the hotel
room. Cosden is currently free after posting $25,000 bail. His
arraignment is set for Feb. 2 in Indio.
Gutierrez said he was not aware of Cosden participating in similar
acts in the past, but that investigators were working to find that
information out, as well as what acts Cosden may have had planned for
the girls.
http://www.thedesertsun.com/news/stories2003/local/20040101025031.shtml