A West Hollywood piano teacher who fled to Australia before being convicted of lewd acts with a teenage former student is in police custody Friday and is being held without bail following his extradition to the United States.
John Michael Kaleel, 69, was taken into custody on Thursday by Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputies at Los Angeles International Airport, the District Attorney’s office announced.
Kaleel was booked at the LASD ‘s Carson Sheriff’s Station after his arrest. He is being held at the Men’s Central Jail at 441 Bauchet St. in downtown Los Angeles, court records show.
The former teacher is awaiting sentencing on four felony counts of lewd act upon a child age 14 or 15 and one felony count of lewd act upon a child under age 14 — a verdict was handed down last Oct. 8 after he fled, according to the district attorney’s office.
The charges stem from crimes involving a long-time student between 2011 and 2013, beginning when he was 13 years old, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
“Our hearts remain with the victim who endured years of abuse by someone he trusted,” District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement.
“That predator, John Michael Kaleel, was tried and convicted but attempted to escape justice by fleeing to Australia during jury deliberations. He has now learned the hard way that you can run but you cannot hide, a lesson he can contemplate while hopefully serving years of state prison. Thank you to my office’s prosecutors, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and our federal and Australian law enforcement partners who came together to ensure that Mr. Kaleel was brought back to Los Angeles to be sentenced for the crimes of which the jury convicted him.”
No sentencing date has been set yet for Kaleel, who is facing 10 years and eight months in prison, according to the District Attorney’s Office. According to Hoffman’s office, the case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Ariel Anson of the Sex Crimes Division.