A Lake Forest piano teacher was arrested following an investigation involving lewd acts with a child, and authorities believe there may be more victims, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said on Sunday.
John Mordecai Scott, 58, was suspected of showing and taking lewd photographs of at least two underage girls at his residence in the 20700 block of El Toro Road (map), where he taught piano, according to a news release from the department and a sheriff’s official.
The photos purported to show the elementary school-age girls naked and in compromising positions, the official told KTLA.
Scott was arrested on suspicion of lewd and lascivious conduct with a child and has been booked into county jail, the release stated.
He was initially being held on $500,000 bail, but his bail was expected to increase to $1 million after the second victim stepped forward, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
Scott was expected to make his first court appearance on Tuesday.
Evidence obtained has led investigators to believe there are possibly more victims, the release stated.
In addition to teaching at his home, Scott also taught at Coast Band Music in Mission Viejo and at OC Music in Rancho Santa Margarita, according to the release.
Anyone with information regarding the investigation or possible additional victims was urged to contact the Sheriff’s Department at 714-647-7418 or 714-647-7000.
KTLA’s Feven Kiflegiorgis contributed to this report.