MESA -- A Mesa elementary school music teacher was arrested for child molestation after a student came forward.
On March 3, a 12-year-old girl disclosed that when she was 7, her music teacher at Brinton Elementary School sexually molested her on two separate occasions between January and November 2005.
According to Mesa police Sgt. Ed Wessing, the girl said the first incident happened when she was in second grade and the second incident occurred when she was in third grade at the school located near Southern Avenue and Meridian Road.
Wessing said both incidents occurred in the band room during an after-school program. The victim told police that Michael Allen LaMonica, 49, would ask her to help him clean the band room. Once they were in the band room, the suspect removed the victim's clothing and molested her.
Mesa police detectives arrested LaMonica on Wednesday and booked him on two counts of child molestation.
LaMonica has been teaching music at Brinton Elementary School for nine years. Police said there may be other victims who have not come forward. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Mesa Police Department at 480-644-2211.
