Plea date of arrested Casa teacher delayed

<p>The Casa Grande High School teacher who was arrested on Nov. 22 for allegedly attempting to have sex with a minor delayed entering a plea in San Mateo Superior Court on Dec. 9, and now is scheduled to do so on Tuesday, Dec. 23.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>Judge James Ellis granted the request made by defense attorneys for Scott Dietlin, 34. Dietlin, who has taught history and economics at Casa Grande for the past nine years, is facing four felony counts — sending harmful matter with intent to seduce a minor, sending harmful matter to a minor with use of e-mail, communicating with a minor to set up a lewd act and arranging a meeting for the purpose of engaging in a lewd act with a minor.</p><p>Dietlin faces a maximum of about five years in prison, said San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.</p><p>He was arrested by Burlingame police detectives after a week-long investigation stemming from a correspondence he had with two 15-year-old boys on myspace.com. As a prank, the boys posted a photograph and profile of a young woman, “Jackie,” on myspace.com. </p><p>When Dietlin allegedly contacted “Jackie” in April, the boys played along, and as the communication continued, it contained sexually explicit e-mails and text messages, including a nude photograph of himself that Dietlin sent.</p><p>The boys, feeling that Dietlin’s correspondence was inappropriate, contacted Burlingame police, who began investigating the situation. A Burlingame detective, posing as “Jackie,” then began communicating with Dietlin, and arranged a time and place in San Mateo to meet with him to have a possible sexual encounter.</p><p>When Dietlin arrived at the location, he was taken into custody. He was taken to San Mateo County Jail, where his bail was set at $550,000, but Judge Kathleen McKenna later raised the bail to $700,000. He remains in custody.</p><p>Dietlin was placed on administrative leave after the incident, and Casa Grande principal Linda Scheele sent a letter to parents of students at the school, explaining the situation. </p><p>After Dietlin was arrested, Burlingame police obtained a warrant to search Dietlin’s vehicle and home in Petaluma. They seized several items, including condoms, a computer and a cell phone. </p><p>Dietlin attended Casa Grande as a student from 1988 to 1992.</p><p>(Contact Dan Johnson at dan.johnson@arguscourier.com)</p>