Former Millbrae teacher pleads no contest
to filming girls in bathroom
Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, August 29, 2008
(08-29) 10:52 PDT MILLBRAE --
A former Millbrae high school teacher has pleaded no contest to filming girls in a bathroom adjacent to his classroom, authorities said.
David Lista, 35, who taught English for 10 years at Mills High School and was a student body adviser, also pleaded no contest to drug and child-pornography charges.
He could face up to two years in prison when he is sentenced Oct. 30, said Steve Wagstaffe, San Mateo County chief deputy district attorney.
Lista entered no-contest pleas Thursday in a South San Francisco courtroom to felony count of methamphetamine possession, a felony count of possession of child pornography and two counts of misdemeanor unlawful videotaping. He must also register as a sex offender, Wagstaffe said.
Lista remains free on $125,000 bail and must have no contact with minors, stay 100 yards away from all schools and not use the Internet except for job searches and e-mails to friends, authorities said.
Lista videotaped girls using a pinhole video camera installed in the wall of the girls' bathroom that was on the other side of his classroom's closet area.
A technology coordinator with the school district contacted authorities in March after computer users complained that the network was running slowly.
The coordinator reported finding graphic, high-resolution films and photos shot by Lista.
Authorities seized Lista's home computer and sent it to FBI computer specialists, who found that Lista had distributed child pornography that he downloaded from Web sites.
