A California piano teacher has been charged with sexually abusing a 13-year-old student over a three-month period in the teacher's home, car and office, prosecutors said.
Hovhannes John Jihanyan, 41, was arrested on Dec. 13 and charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child and other related felonies, weeks after police investigated a report of suspected child abuse by a teacher. He was indicted. According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney.
According to prosecutors, some of the incidents occurred between Aug. 1 and Nov. 9 at the student's home, the teacher's home and vehicle, and the studio at the French Conservatory in Beverly Hills.
The victim was 14 years old at the time of the alleged abuse.
“We are appalled by this horrific act of sexual abuse of a vulnerable child,” District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement.
“Our firm has a long history of aggressively prosecuting child abuse cases and is committed to pursuing justice for victims and their families. Our dedicated prosecutors will ensure that any criminals who target children are held accountable.”
Prosecutors believe there are more victims.
Santa Monica Police Department began investigating Nov. 19 after receiving a report that a piano teacher was sexually abusing a teenage student.
A search warrant was executed and the Van Nuys resident was taken into custody in Encino. the police said.
The accused sex offender is accused of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, forced oral copulation of a minor victim over the age of 14, sexual penetration of a minor under the age of 16, and sexual penetration of a minor under the age of 16. He was charged with unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and child sodomy. lewd acts of children under 16 years of age and 14 or 15 years of age;
Jihanyan is being held at the Los Angeles Men's Central Jail on $1 million bail.
If convicted as a sexual deviant, he faces up to 29 years in state prison and must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, prosecutors said.
He is scheduled to be arraigned in Airport Court on January 15, 2025.
