A guidance counselor at a West L.A. high school has been charged with having an unlawful sexual relationship with a 16-year-old male student, authorities said.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office charged Julie Tichon, 37, with three felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor more than three years younger and one felony count of oral copulation of a person under 18.
“Educators and school staff have a fundamental duty to create a safe environment for all students, and when that trust is broken, it affects the entire community,” L.A. County Dist. Atty. George Gascón said in a statement. “Our office is dedicated to seeking justice for the victim and holding this individual fully accountable.”
Tichon was arraigned Thursday and pleaded not guilty to all charges, authorities said. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 1.
Prosecutors allege the unlawful sexual acts took place between February and March. They said she no longer works at the school, which they did not identify.
As of February, Tichon was listed online as a guidance staff member at the boy’s division of YULA High School, an Orthodox Jewish school in Pico-Robertson, according to an archived webpage. Her name no longer appears in the current online staff directory.
On May, 28, YULA Head of School Rabbi Arye Sufrin sent an email notifying parents that he had received reports of a female staff member having “an inappropriate relationship of a sexual nature” with two male students, according to reporting from the Forward. Sufrin said the school had shared this information with the Los Angeles Police Department and that the staff member was no longer on campus.
“It is impossible to comprehend and beyond devastating that students would be facing this situation,” Sufrin wrote.
Investigators believe there could be more victims. Anyone with information is asked to contact LAPD Det. Brent Hopkins at (213) 473-0447.
If convicted as charged, Tichon faces up to five years in prison.