A La Mesa math teacher is headed to state prison for three years after admitting he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student. A judge also ordered him to register as a sex offender for a decade, locking in long-term consequences that will follow him long after he leaves custody.
The defendant, 34-year-old Michael Davis, taught at The Learning Choice Academy and pleaded guilty to a single count of sexual intercourse with a minor when the perpetrator is more than three years older than the victim, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. Court records show the sentence was handed down in San Diego Superior Court as part of a negotiated plea agreement.
Police say Davis was arrested in April 2025 after messages between him and the student were reported to authorities. The criminal complaint describes alleged contact stretching from February through March, Telemundo San Diego reported. Officers took Davis into custody at the school's Spring Street campus, and he was initially released on $50,000 bail while the case moved through pretrial hearings.
Court plea and sentence
According to court filings and published reports, Davis pleaded guilty to a single felony count under a deal that dismissed other pending charges. The judge imposed three years in state prison and the 10-year sex offender registration requirement described in court records. Defense attorney Erik Friis told the court that Davis had no prior criminal history, and filings note that the defense characterized the relationship as consensual, despite the criminal charge, per The San Diego Union-Tribune.
School response
The Learning Choice Academy says it learned of the allegations the same day Davis was arrested and immediately placed him on administrative leave. A school spokesperson told reporters the district had not previously received complaints or suspicions of boundary problems involving Davis, Telemundo San Diego reported. School officials and prosecutors declined to go beyond what was laid out in the court documents.
The sentence caps a case that began with last spring's arrest and a criminal complaint that put a harsh spotlight on staff-student boundaries at the small La Mesa charter campus. Parents and education advocates say the outcome is one more reminder that clear rules, fast reporting, and follow-through are not just bureaucratic boxes to check, but safeguards for students when those boundaries are crossed.
