Former Gilroy High School Teacher Ordered Back Into Custody

SAN JOSE - A former Gilroy High School teacher charged with posing as a teen on Facebook in order to lure other teens into sending him sexually explicit images was ordered back into custody during his arraignment in Santa Clara County Superior Court in San Jose Monday.

Douglas Le, 25, was charged with possessing material depicting a minor engaging or simulating sexual conduct, annoying or molesting a child, sending harmful matter to a minor and nine counts of communicating with a minor with the intent to commit a crime, according to Deputy District Attorney Jaron Shipp.

Le had been out on $50,000 bail but was ordered back into custody, with bail increased to $475,000, Shipp said.

If convicted, Le could face more than eight years in prison. He is expected to appear in court again on July 20.

Also on Patch:

• Gilroy High School Teacher Allegedly Posed As Female, Lured Juveniles
• Gilroy School District Sued By Famous L.A. Attorney
• Lawsuit Filed Against Gilroy School District Claims Teacher Harassment

Authorities began investigating Le in April after Facebook alerted the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children that the account used by Le might be having inappropriate communications with a minor. The center then alerted the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children task force.

Le was arrested on April 26 in San Jose as agents were conducting a search of his home. During the search, agents seized several computers and hard drives along with other media, prosecutors said.

Between June 2014 and January 2016, Le, who was working at the high school, allegedly used Facebook to message at least nine minors from Gilroy High School and other Santa Clara County high schools.

Using a false name and a picture of an adult pornography actor, Le traded texts and explicit images and videos with the victims, prosecutors said.

"This is a deeply troubling example of why young people should be extremely wary of strangers that they decide to communicate with online," Shipp said in a statement.

School district officials said Le resigned from the Gilroy Unified School District days after his arrest and that the alleged scamming took place outside of school property on personal computers at private homes.

The case has triggered additional lawsuits recently filed by Los Angeles-based attorney Gloria Allred against the school district on behalf of some of Le's underage victims.

The lawsuits accuse the district of failing to protect students by allowing Le to continue working with students who he allegedly verbally, physically and sexually harassed despite knowing about the accusations.

During a news conference last Wednesday, Allred said she is in contact with other alleged victims who may also file more lawsuits against the school district.

"Under our constitution everyone is presumed innocent unless the contrary is proven beyond a reasonable doubt," Le's defense attorney Sam Polverino said in an email.

"Mr. Le has been an exemplary person from a wonderful family."

-Bay City News, image via Santa Clara County DA's office