Lake Forest Man Charged with Molesting 5 Girls in Orange County

A Lake Forest piano instructor accused of molesting or taking obscene photographs of four girls was charged Friday with committing lewd acts with a fifth.

John Mordecai Scott, 58, of Lake Forest pleaded not guilty Aug. 12 to multiple felony charges of lewd acts on a child. On Aug. 14, a fifth alleged victim contacted sheriff’s investigators after seeing news reports about Scott’s arrest, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

Bail for Scott was set at $1 million. He was scheduled to be arraigned on the charges related to the fifth alleged victim on Sept. 26.

Scott was arrested Aug. 8 on suspicion of showing and taking lewd photos of an underage female student at his home at 20702 El Toro Road, where he works as a piano instructor, according to Orange County sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Hallock.

The girl confided in a sibling, who told their parents, triggering an investigation, Hallock said. Additional alleged victims were subsequently identified.

In addition to giving lessons in his home, Scott taught at Coast Band Music on Via Fabricante in Mission Viejo and OC Music on Aventura in Rancho Santa Margarita, Hallock said.

He was previously charged with four counts each of committing a lewd act on a child younger than 14 and lewd acts on a child, two counts of distributing pornography to a minor, and one count each of continuous sexual abuse, using a minor for sex acts and possession and control of child pornography, all felonies.

He also faces a misdemeanor count of child annoyance and a sentence- enhancing allegation of obscene matter used during a sex offense.

One of the alleged victims is 14-15 years old and the rest are younger than 14, according to Deputy District Attorney Vanessa Woods, who said Scott could face up to 30 years and four months in prison if convicted as charged.

Scott initially faced 30 years and four months in prison, but now could be sentenced to 111 years and fourth months in prison if also convicted of the additional charges, according to prosecutors.

— City News Service