Rocklin teacher charged for contact with second student | News

ROCKLIN, CA - A high school teacher facing child molestation charges for an alleged affair with a student has now been charged with inappropriate contact with a second underage girl.

STORY: Rocklin teacher accused of student sex charges

According to court documents examined by the Placer Herald newspaper, Whitney High School physics teacher Matthew Yamamoto, 33, now faces eleven criminal counts in connection with the two students.

Yamamoto was arrested Sept. 17 and initially charged with sexual conduct with a single minor student.

Yamamoto exchanged nearly 50,000 text messages with one of the girls, according to the documents, and held secret nighttime "stargazing" dates with the other.

Witnesses described Yamamoto as "touchy-feely" with his students, particularly the girls, and was known to approach his female students and touch their legs or rub their shoulders, according to the documents.
 
The documents reveal that Yamamoto was counseled about his behavior by colleagues, but was never reported to law enforcement.

At Yamamoto's arraignment last week, Placer County Deputy District Attorney Stephanie Macumber sought to have Yamamoto's bail increased from the current $100,000.

"There is an additional victim and a significant amount of evidence in this case that would lead any reasonable person to believe the defendant is a predator," the Placer Herald quoted Macumber as saying.

Yamamoto pleaded not guilty to all eleven charges.