A 44-year-old teacher with the Irvine Unified School District was arrested over the weekend for an alleged sexually explicit online conversation he believed was with a 14-year-old boy, officials announced Monday.
Eric Reid Zuercher, a resident of Irvine and a math teacher at Sierra Vista Middle School, was reported to police by a private group that works to expose those who engage in online criminal behavior, according to a news release from the Irvine Police Department.
“The group reported that while posing online as a 14-year-old boy, they communicated with an adult man, the release detailed. “The text messages turned sexual in nature, and the adult asked the minor if he would be interested in meeting.”
Authorities added that prior to calling police, the reporting party confronted Zuercher at his home and attempted to talk to him, though after a brief conversation, the 44-year-old went inside his residence and closed the door.
Detectives later obtained a warrant, arrested Zuercher at his home and booked him at the Orange County Jail for attempting to converse with a minor to meet and engage in sexual activity.
School district officials, according to the release, have worked closely with investigators and do not currently believe that the 44-year-old has had any inappropriate relationships with students.
The district has, however, placed Zuercher on administrative leave.
Anyone with information about this investigation is urged to contact Irvine Police Department Detective Brian Felling at 949-724-7189 or by email at bfelling@cityofirvine.org.
Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the Orange County Crime Stoppers Hotline at 855-TIP-OCCS or leave tips online at www.occrimestoppers.org.
