Convicted RSM Child Molester to Begin Another Trial Monday

A Rancho Santa Margarita man already convicted of lewd behavior with a minor is set to go on trial again on Monday, again for lewd behavior.

A jury was chosen this week to determine Scott Andrew Christensen's guilt or innocence on felony charges of lewd and lascivious behavior with a minor under the age of 14 that allegedly took place in 2000 and 2005.

Christensen, 28, faces up to 45 years in state prison if convicted of all counts.

Christensen has already . In 2009, Christensen was found guilty of two counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor for an assault that took place May 1, 2006.

However, the jury deadlocked 10-2 on the third and fourth counts on a second victim that allegedly took place Sept. 1, 2005 and Aug. 7, 2006; the boy was 5 to 6 years old at the time of the assaults. According to the Orange County District  Attorney's office, Christensen is accused of touching the victim's buttocks and penis while the students were watching a movie.

There has since been a third victim found for which Christensen will stand trial. That felony allegedly took place May 6, 2000. In that case, the D.A. said the defendant placed the boy's hand inside Christensen's pantsunderneath his underwear while they were watching a movie.

Christensen will also stand trial again for the charge that ended in a hung jury.

In the case that Christensen was convicted, he was an after-school child-care worker with the Learning Connection and was employed by the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. He met his victim, a 6-year-old boy, and his family while teaching at Melinda Heights Elementary School in Rancho Santa Margarita. He had been with the Learning Connection for six years.

Christensen had been asked by the family to babysit the victim, and the crimes took place in the victim's home between May and August of 2006.

Opening statements are scheduled to begin Monday, 9 a.m., in Dept. C7 of the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.