Former high school teacher pleads no contest to false imprisonment

from the office of District Attorney Jackie Lacey

A former high school teacher pleaded no contest today to falsely imprisoning students in their car while they drove over a weekend through Altadena, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Deputy District Attorney Melanie Buccat said John Edward Maust (dob 4/23/80) entered the plea to two felony counts of false imprisonment by violence in case GA094098.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Elaine Lu of the Pasadena Branch immediately sentenced Maust to five years of formal probation, 180 days of community service and more than 50 Alcoholics Anonymous sessions.

Maust also was ordered to one year of counseling and to stay away from the victims. Additionally, he is prohibited from consuming any alcohol while on probation.

On June 7, 2014, three teenagers, two of whom attended Arroyo Pacific Academy where Maust taught, were driving when they saw the defendant in his driveway. After the victims stopped to talk to him, Maust got into the back seat and told one of the victims to drive, the prosecutor said.

During the drive, Maust took out a pocket knife and began waving it around at which point the driver pulled the car over and two of the victims were able to exit. When the driver attempted to also exit, Maust placed him in a choke hold with the pocket knife up to him and demanded that he be taken to a fast food restaurant, the prosecutor added.

After the victim complied, he drove the defendant home and Maust fled from the vehicle, according to the prosecutor.

The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Altadena Station.