March 8, 2006

Westmont teacher arrested for soliciting sex from a minor

By Julie Davis Berry
Executive Editor

A 35-year-old part-time Westmont High School math teacher was arrested Feb. 20 after making contact with a 12-year-old girl online and setting up a meeting with her to have sex.

Luke Lajoie

Luke Lajoie, a San Jose resident, was arrested when he showed up at J.D. Morgan Park to meet with the 12-year-old and she turned out to be a Campbell police officer.

According to Campbell Police Detective Gary Berg this was the third arrest in a four-week period in Campbell where adult men were caught arranging to meet for sexual trysts with juveniles they met online.

Lajoie was arraigned on charges of attempted child molestation and sending harmful matter over the Internet on Feb. 23 and was released the next day after posting $25,000 bail.

According to Westmont Principal Owen Hege, Lajoie was a part-time first year ninth grade geometry teacher. He has been suspended without pay.

Several of Lajoie’s students, who spoke to the Times on the condition of anonymity, said that Lajoie was a well-liked teacher.

The next step for Lajoie, according to Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Bud Porter, is a March 14 court date, which he will attend with his private attorney.

Although Porter could not release information on whether Lajoie has previous offenses on his record, he did say that if this is his first offense. If he is found guilty or pleads guilty he could be sentenced to a minimum of probation with up to a year of jail, or a maximum of four years and four months in prison.

If you have any information regarding this case call Detective Gary Berg of the Campbell Police Department Investigations Unit at (408) 866-2708 or (408) 866-2101.