A California middle school teacher was arrested after allegedly engaging in sexually explicit conversations online with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old boy, according to police.
The incident came to light after a private watchdog group that specializes in exposing online predators posed as a 14-year-old boy and allegedly interacted with Eric Reid Zuercher, KTLA reported.
Their conversations reportedly turned sexually explicit, and Zuercher, 41, expressed interest in meeting the teenager in person.
The group confronted him at his Irvine home before reporting the matter to local Police.
Zuercher is a math teacher at Sierra Vista Middle School, the largest middle school in the Irvine Unified School District.
On Sunday night, police arrested Zuercher at his home after obtaining a warrant based on evidence submitted by the watchdog group, including incriminating text messages.
He was booked into Orange County Jail for attempting to meet a minor to engage in sexual activity.
The Irvine Unified School District placed Zuercher on administrative leave and reported that there is no evidence suggesting he engaged in inappropriate behavior with any students.
The district is cooperating fully with law enforcement while prioritizing student safety.
Originally published on Latin Times
