Amber Willard
SAN FERNANDO COURTHOUSE
The attorney for a La Crescenta man who coached football at La Canada
High School said Friday his client will consider a plea bargain offer on
a child annoyance charge before returning to court next month.
Sloan Bunting, who was head football coach at Monroe High School in
North Hills before coming to La Canada High last year, is accused of
taking provocative photos of a 15-year-old girl in a physical education
office at Monroe, where he was a teacher, officials said.
Bunting was not in court for his arraignment Friday afternoon on the
misdemeanor charge. His attorney, Sylvan Philip Daroca, represented
Bunting and requested a continuance to Aug. 18 to consider the plea
bargain offer made by the Los Angeles City Attorney's office.
Los Angeles Deputy City Atty. Mike Pizzuti said he could not discuss
the offer but said if it is accepted, the case against Bunting will be
resolved.
The city attorney's office filed the charge against Bunting on June
16. The 44-year-old father of three was not arrested but received a
summons to appear in court Friday. If he does not accept the offer and is
convicted, Bunting could receive up to one year in jail and be ordered to
pay a $1,000 fine.
Police said that in early June, Bunting told the girl that she looked
like a model and that he wanted to take photos of her. Five provocative
pictures were taken of the girl, who never disrobed, an LAPD spokesman
said.
Neither Bunting nor La Canada High School officials could be reached
for comment late Friday. It is not known if Bunting will return to La
Canada High as a coach in the fall.
In addition to being assistant head coach at La Canada High School,
Bunting was the offensive coordinator for the football team. He has
served as head football coach at Grant and South Pasadena high schools
and was an assistant coach at Pierce College, according to a 1999 Spartan
Football program.
