Former teacher charged with lewd act on 13-year-old girl

LONG BEACH, Calif. - A former Long Beach high school teacher pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to committing a lewd act on a 13-year-old girl who was a family friend.

Los Angeles County prosecutors allege that the crime occurred in 2015 at Mark Anthony Santo's home in La Mirada.

Santo, 51, was arrested Monday by Long Beach police and has remained jailed in lieu of $100,000 bail since then, jail records show.

Santo -- a former teacher at Jordan High School -- is due back in a Long Beach courtroom June 30 for a hearing to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to require him to stand trial on one count of committing a lewd act on a child under the age of 14.

He could face up to eight years in state prison if convicted as charged, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.