Ex-Teacher’s Aide at Ramona High School Pleads Not Guilty to Molest

A former teacher’s aide at Ramona High School accused of molesting a teenager who lives in a South Bay group home pleaded not guilty to 11 felony charges Thursday.

The aide, Robert Buechner, 69, was charged with four counts each of oral copulation and lewd and lascivious activities with someone 14 or 15 years old, two counts of sodomy and a single charge of penetration with a foreign object.

Buechner, who resigned from his special education position at the high school when he was arrested, was ordered held in custody on $500,000 bail by Judge Katherine Bacal.

Deputy District Attorney Karra Reedy said molestations took place over a period of several months, either at the boy’s group home for at-risk youth, the defendant’s car, or the man’s house.

“This was a 14- or 15-year-old kid and this defendant was in a position of trust,” Reedy said.

Buechner, who is married and has several adult children, met the alleged victim through a member of the boy’s family,  said Chula Vista police Capt. Gary
Wedge.

Wedge said the victim did not attend Ramona High School, where the defendant worked for 7 1/2 years, and there was no reason to believe any students there were victimized.

Buechner faces nine years and eight months in prison if convicted, according to Reedy.

RUSD Superintendent Robert Graeff told Patch that Buechner had worked under the supervision of classroom teachers with students in grades 9-12, in a 20-hours-a-week capacity.

On Tuesday, Buechner was escorted to the school office by staff at about noon, while students were at lunch. He met with Chula Vista police in the assistant principal’s office, and was arrested behind closed doors, Graeff said.

“As always, we are cooperating fully with the authorities in their investigation and are gravely concerned whenever an employee is alleged to be involved in inappropriate or illegal conduct with minors,” Graeff said via email.

“We are relieved that none of the charges currently include students enrolled in Ramona,” Graeff said. “Obviously, we will continue to work closely with authorities if additional information is required.”

Ramona High principal Tony Newman sent a message to parents by phone and email reflecting the same information, when Buechner was arrested. Parents with questions or concerns can contact one of the administrators on the campus, he stated.

City News Service and Julie Pendray contributed to this report.