A California high school teacher who was fired for “inappropriate communications” with an underage student has been arrested after being caught in the same girl’s bedroom, according to police.
Patrick John Meister, 65, was fired by Enoch High School in March 2021 after he was arrested for “inappropriate communications” with the girl, who was 16 at the time, including alleged messages, according to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office. Details were not given. ,
The band teacher was released on $5,000 bail — only to be caught seven months later “by the student’s mother in the same student’s bedroom,” the sheriff’s office said.
Meester was finally arrested again last Wednesday, three years after he was allegedly caught creeping into the girl’s room. The sheriff’s office said the lengthy investigation “has been ongoing through 2021” with an arrest following “numerous interviews” with the girl.
“Serious cases like this need to be carefully prepared over time,” the Sheriff’s Office said. told sfgateDefending the long delay in Meester’s arrest and charges.
The fired teacher was charged with two counts of lewd acts with a minor and two counts of attempting to meet with a minor for lewd purposes.
Meister had worked for the school district since 2003 and worked at two different high schools as a music teacher during her tenure until moving full-time to Enoch High in 2008. According to the Modesto Bee.
At the time of her original arrest, Modesto City Schools said they “took immediate action to ensure she had no contact with students, as well as revoked her right to visit our facilities. The criminal case will proceed. But this instruction will continue,” in a press statement.
The district said Meister completed all pre-employment requirements, including fingerprint clearance and background check, and even received annual training on harassment and child abuse reporting while a teacher.
The school has come under criticism for several cases of inappropriate conduct between teachers and minors over the years.
In 2012, a former teacher, 41-year-old James Hooker, was arrested after a former student at a different school alleged that he had sexual contact with her 14 years earlier when she was 17 years old.
At the time of his arrest, Hooker was living with another former Enoch student, 18-year-old Jamie Powers. according to nbc,
In 2023, Brian Rogers, a social studies teacher at the school since 2012, was accused of harassing or molesting a minor, although it was unclear whether the victim was a student. According to KOVR-TV,
Meister is being held at the Modesto Detention Center and is scheduled to appear in court on October 30. Court records show his bail has been set at $650,000.
