Casa Grande teacher accused of Internet seduction

A Casa Grande High history and economics teacher faces charges that he used the Internet to try to seduce a teenage girl.

Scott Eugene Dietlin, 34, a teacher in Petaluma schools for nine years, is to be arraigned Monday afternoon in a San Mateo County courtroom.

Casa Grande Principal Linda Scheele said Monday that Dietlin has been placed on administrative leave, and that the school is mailing a letter to parents informing them of the situation.

Dietlin was arrested Saturday after arriving at an undisclosed San Mateo location where he had made arrangements to meet the girl, police said.

Instead, he was taken into custody. His arrest was prompted by two Burlingame teens who told police that a phony teen profile they had established on MySpace had attracted improper attention.

The two teens had set up the phony profile, complete with a photo of a young woman, “as a prank with some friends,” said Burlingame Police Sgt. Edward Nakiso. Dietlin allegedly had made contact with the teens.

After the teens alerted police, a detective posed as the girl in further electronic conversations with Dietlin, Nakiso said.

Dietlin sent e-mails and text messages, communicating “that he wanted to meet the minor and engage in sexual activity,” according to a police department press release.

He was arrested on suspicion of sending harmful matter electronically with the intent to seduce a minor, attempting to contact a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense and arranging to meet with a minor with the intent to commit a sexual offense. Each offense is punishable as a felony.

Dietlin Monday remained in the San Mateo County Jail with bail set at $570,000, a jail representative said.

Casa Grande's principal said she wants to assure parents that the school’s students will continue to receive strong instruction. She noted that the district Monday had brought in a substitute teacher who is credentialed in economics and history to teach Dietlin’s classes.