Julie Tichon: High school guidance counselor charged with sexually abusing male student (Video)
Many of us have fond, or perhaps not so fond, memories of being called to our high school guidance counselor’s office. For the most part, if you weren’t in trouble for anything, the counselor just wanted to talk to you about your classes, your grades or your academic future. But this week in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Operations West Bureau Special Assault Section (SAS) announced that they were seeking any additional victims and witnesses that might be out there in connection with a high school guidance counselor having sex with students in her care.
On August 29, 2024, investigators arrested 37-year-old high school guidance counselor Julie Tichon, a resident of Los Angeles, for a series of sexual assaults of a 16-year-old male student. Those sexual assaults went down between February and March of 2024, according to the LAPD.
Tichon worked as a school guidance counselor at YULA High School in West Los Angeles, but has since left the school’s employ. Following her arrest, she was booked at Metropolitan Detention Center. The Los Angeles Superior Court subsequently released Tichon on her own recognizance and she is due back in court on November 1, 2024.
Detectives learned of the accusations after the boy told his parents of the alleged assaults. His parents then reported the teacher to Yula High School and to law enforcement.
“One of the biggest problems we have with juvenile cases, is often kids don’t realize they’ve been victims of crimes until years afterward,” said LAPD Detective Supervisor Brent Hopkins. “Either they didn’t know it was wrong or once they do, they feel some troubles about coming forward.” ~ NBC-4 Los Angeles
On September 19th, 2024, the Office of the District Attorney filed three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and one count of oral copulation of a person under 18.
“The suspect used her position of responsibility to gain these victims’ trust, then began inappropriate sexual relationships with them,” said Detective Russ Hess. “Rather than advising them, she was abusing them.”
If convicted, Tichon could face a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Though she is charged with assaulting a single victim, investigators believe there may be other students who have yet to come forward who could potentially add to the criminal case.
Detectives are requesting that anyone with information that could lead to the identification of additional victims or witnesses to contact Detective Hess at LAPD’s Operations-West Bureau, Special Assault Section, at 213-473-0561. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247).
Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org. Tipsters may also visit www.lapdonline.org, and click on “Anonymous Web Tips” under the “Get Involved-Crime Stoppers” menu to submit an online tip.
Lastly, tipsters may also download the “P3 Tips” mobile application and select the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.
For more on the Julie Tichon story, see the video accompanying this article.
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(Source and Julie Tichon photo: LAPD)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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