Salinas teacher sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison for child molestation.

John Walter Hawthorne was, in the eyes of many, a dedicated teacher who helped migrant farmworkers’ children learn English and transition into Salinas schools. But Hawthorne, a Soquel resident, harbored a deep and twisted obsession for his female students, according to prosecutors. He abused his role as a trusted educator and molested 13 of his students– some as young as 10 years old. Hawthorne also took digital pictures of the students, and compulsively cut and pasted their faces onto pornographic images.

On Oct. 24 Monterey County Superior Court Judge Adrienne Grover sentenced Hawthorne to 10 years and eight months in prison for child molestation and possession of child pornography. Toward the close of the emotional sentencing, Grover said, “This is not the type of pornography case that exposed children to posing in sexualized ways. At the same time, there is a disturbing quality to the pornography count here because it was personalized to the victim.”

Hawthorne, 43, taught in the Alisal Union School District for 11 years. The long-time elementary teacher had a sexual interest in prepubescent girls for a decade, said Deputy District Attorney Gary Thelander. But rather than seek counseling, Hawthorne inappropriately touched his students, beginning at Virginia Rocca Barton Elementary School. The lewd behavior spanned four years, continuing while he was a teacher for Martin Luther King Jr. Academy’s newcomer program.

“These are particularly vulnerable members of our community because they were… new to the country,” Grover said.

The Weekly featured Hawthorne and his students in an April 5, 2007, cover story about the difficulties faced by recent Latino immigrants struggling to take standardized tests in English. Several teachers and administrators praised Hawthorne and recommended that the Weekly interview him.

Roughly two weeks after the story ran, Hawthorne was arrested. At first, administrators didn’t believe the four MLK students who accused Hawthorne. The teacher’s friends and family, like in many molestation cases, denied Hawthorne had done anything wrong. But that changed when investigators discovered he morphed headshots of his students onto nude images from the website Barely Legal.

“This was not a one-time event,” Thelander told Judge Grover. “This was not a series of two or three hours. We are talking about hundreds and hundreds of hours spent at the computer engaged in this activity. This is an obsession and a compulsion.”

As for the molestations, Thelander said Hawthorne’s touching was not of a substantial sexual nature; he never touched the girls’ genitalia. The most extreme example Thelander gave was when, Hawthorne ran his hand up a girl’s thigh while she was playing hangman at a chalkboard. Still, Thelander said, Hawthorne would have continued this conduct had the students not reported him. He pressed the judge to deliver the maximum prison sentence: 16 years.

Hawthorne’s attorney, Joseph Cisneros, emphasized that his client has hit bottom and wants to seek treatment.

“He’s been totally disgraced. There is nothing left for him other than the love of his family,” Cisneros said as Hawthorne’s parents and long-time friends solemnly watched his sentencing from the front row.

Hawthorne, wearing a navy blue suit, looked frail but maintained his cool. He read a prepared letter addressed to his victims and asked that the message reach the students.

“I want you to know that I am truly sorry about my inappropriate behavior,” he read. “I am deeply ashamed of myself… I am completely responsible for everything and will live with that shame forever. You trusted me and I failed as a teacher.” In closing, he asked for their forgiveness.

While Grover didn’t give Hawthorne the maximum sentence, she also didn’t take pity on him, either. In addition to the nearly 11-year prison sentence, Hawthorne will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of life, which means he won’t ever teach again.

After the hearing, his parents, Jack and Cheryl Hawthorne, expressed regret for their son’s actions. “I’m so sorry about the pictures. I really don’t believe John ever meant to do anything other than hugging,” said Cheryl, wiping away tears.

Jon Pang, who’s known Hawthorne for 30 years, said his friend shouldn’t be judged solely on his misdeeds: “He’s done so many positive things.”

But Thelander said Hawthorne’s benevolent work is overshadowed by his crimes: “This violation of this community’s trust in this individual trumps, unfortunately, the good works he may or may not have intended to do in his life.”