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Former Monterey County teacher arrested after alleged sexual misconduct with student

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January 9, 2025 9:57 AM
Published 1:45 PM

WOODLAND, Calif. (KION-TV) -- A teacher in Woodland, California was arrested for alleged sexual misconduct with a student from North Monterey County High School.

25-year-old Mika Yoneda was arrested after Monterey County's Sheriff's Office received a report from a former juvenile male student who had been a victim of sexual misconduct. Upon investigation from the Sheriff's Office, Yoneda was identified as the teacher in question.

Yoneda was a former teacher at North Monterey County High School in Castroville from 2022 to 2023 when the alleged sexual misconduct began. She since began working at Woodland High School thereafter.

During her time in Monterey County, Yoneda also worked as a private tutor alongside her role as a teacher.

Monterey County Sheriff-Coroner Tina Nieto spoke on the arrest speaking on how these moments in time can break the trust of not only students, but the parents.

"Our parents in our county have to be able to trust the school system," Nieto said. "They have to be able to trust teachers, educators. That the teachers and educators are going to protect their children. That's the expectation they have of us."

In a press release, Monterey County Sheriff's Office states they are not aware of any incidents involving students from the Woodland area.

The Woodland Joint Unified School District also released the following statement to KION:

"The safety of our students and staff is our number one priority. At this time, we are not aware of any WJUSD students who are connected to this criminal investigation. However, we are cooperating with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and the teacher has been placed on administrative leave pending the results of the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office investigation. Anyone with information that may be related to this investigation is encouraged to contact Detective Sergeant Nicholas Kennedy of the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office at (831) 755-3773."

Yoneda is being held on a bail of $1.5 million.

Article Topic Follows: News
monterey county
north monterey county high school
sexual assualt
teacher arrested
woodland high school

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Sergio Berrueta

Sergio Berrueta has been in the news for quite awhile going from studying print media to entering the realm of broadcast.

Originally from Bell Gardens, California, in Southeast Los Angeles. Berrueta started his professional news career in Eureka as a newscast producer for North Coast News (now The Northstate’s News) at KAEF ABC 23 in 2022. He pivoted a year later in 2022 going from behind-the-scenes to in front of the camera as a multimedia journalist for Redwood News Channel 3 (KIEM/KVIQ) also in Eureka.

Berrueta studied journalism at Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt) earning his Bachelor’s Degree. Berrueta was a staff writer, page editor, social media manager and editor-in-chief of the university’s El Lenador, the only bilingual publication in all of Humboldt County.

Before moving to the North Coast, Berrueta had earned his Associate’s Degree at East Los Angeles College in 2019 after beginning his educational journey in 2012. He also was on staff for the ELAC’s publication, ELAC Campus News, having been a staff writer, page editor, and online editor.

Outside of news experience, Berrueta has also been in education as an AmeriCorps tutor in East Hollywood from 2017 to 2019 and served in a government role as a National Hometown Fellow for Lead for America with the City of Arcata in 2021.

When not focusing on news, Berrueta is an avid amateur cinephile having written about films in free time. He also writes poetry, attempting to get through a backlog of video games, enjoys visiting new places along the California Coast, and trying to keep up with the latest music and podcasts.

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