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A 29-year-old music teacher from Danville pleaded no contest Tuesday to three counts of molesting his students during piano and guitar lessons in Daly City last year, according to prosecutors.
Danville resident Brian Butts faces up to six years in prison when he’s sentenced on Aug. 14, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.
Butts was a guest piano and guitar teacher at the Music Art Studio at 200 Northgate Ave. in Daly City giving private lessons there while the school’s owner was away, prosecutors said.
When the owner returned, two victims, 13-year-old girls, told him that Butts had grabbed their breasts during music lessons between April 7 and June 8 of last year, authorities said.
Investigators found a third victim, a 15-year-old girl, who reported similar incidents during piano lessons.
Butts was initially charged with 10 felonies and faced a maximum sentence of life in prison, but pleaded no contest to three counts Tuesday in exchange for a sentence of no more than six years in prison, prosecutors said.
His attorney Peter Goldscheider said the last-minute plea deal came as a surprise as prosecutors had not previously made any offers. But facing a possible sentence of 30 years to life in prison, the six-year maximum sentence was the best thing for his client.
“It was all around a very difficult decision for him to make,” Goldscheider said.
Had the case gone to trial, Goldscheider said he would have argued the touching was incidental and did not have sexual intent.
As Butts has no criminal record, he may only receive a probationary sentence, but that will be up to the judge, Goldscheider said.
He remains in jail on $1.5 million bail.
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Another poorly developed individual who finagles his way into contact with students. Parents beware and tell your kids about good touch/bad touch. I am always amazaed how many students have never had this talk with their kids. For certain cultures this is a taboo subject and the molesters know this and take full advantage of this. Parents learn to be prosctive not just reactive.
Bill are you for real???!!! These are innocent kids who are in the care of authority figures who are sick and know how to groom and manipulate these kids to do the sick things they do. It does not matter how good you taught your kids about predators or touch. Does not matter how educated you are, how strong you are, hiw much money you have, the car you drive, the place you live etc.! I know!
The headline is poorly written…”A Teacher who Lives in Danville…” would have been a better headline.