Former Olathe teacher pleads guilty Thursday to having sex with 17-year-old student

Jenna Thompson
·1 min read
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A former Olathe Northwest High School teacher admitted in Johnson County District Court Thursday morning to having sex with a 17-year-old student.

Steven Mesa, 48, pleaded guilty before Judge Timothy McCarthy to one count of unlawful sexual relations. Two counts of the same charge were dismissed by prosecutors.

Mesa was arrested in September after the Olathe Police Department was notified that a student and teacher at the school were potentially carrying on a relationship. In an interview with detectives, the student said she and the teacher began to have sexual encounters toward the end of July and met several times to have intercourse — including at his home and the school — according to court documents.

Mesa was a physical education teacher and a wrestling coach and had worked for the district since 2001. He was fired before his arrest.

The former teacher appeared out on bond Thursday, and his attorney, Michael Duma, asked the judge to modify Mesa’s bond conditions. The judge granted the removal of Mesa’s GPS monitor but ordered him to contact pretrial supervision services.

Mesa’s sentencing is scheduled for June 27.