Flagstaff police have arrested a Coconino High School teacher and karate studio owner on charges that he had sex with two of his minor students.

John Pertuit, 35, 1720 N. Center St., was booked into the county jail Monday afternoon on six counts of sexual conduct with a minor, according to information from the police department.

Pertuit (pronounced Per-tree) had been arrested quietly on school grounds, said Detective Casey Rucker of the police department.

Pertuit teaches electronics at the high school, and he rents the school gym for his martial arts business, called KIKS American Karate, Rucker said.

Superintendent Kevin Brown of the Flagstaff Unified School District said Pertuit has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

Brown added that Pertuit passed a background test required by the district before he could be hired by the district as a teacher eight years ago, and he was made aware of the district's policies on how teachers should interact with students on and off campus (see related story).

According to human resources staff at the school, Pertuit was hired in December 2000.

The two alleged victims are 15 and 16 years old, Rucker said. Both were students of his at CHS and the karate school.

Investigators have served a search warrant on Pertuit's home in order to secure evidence showing the two alleged victims were his students.

None of the alleged crimes is believed to have been committed on school grounds, Rucker said. The alleged sexual intercourse also appears to have been consensual.

PREVIOUS INVESTIGATION CLOSED

The investigation is continuing, Rucker said, and it is possible more victims will be identified. The current charges reflect crimes that are alleged in the last 11 months, Rucker said.

But Pertuit was the subject of a police investigation into similar charges in 2007, according to police reports. The case was closed as unfounded at the time because the alleged victim, who also was a student of Pertuit's and under 18 at the time, refused to cooperate with police in the investigation. She would not give a statement to police.

Rucker said Pertuit chose not to speak with investigators after his arrest.

According to state law, "a person commits sexual conduct with a minor by intentionally or knowingly engaging in sexual intercourse or oral sexual contact with any person who is under 18 years of age."

County Attorney David Rozema said that when the suspect is an alleged victim's teacher, the crime is considered a Class 2 felony as of January 2008. Prior to that date, incidents involving minors 15 and older were prosecuted as Class 6 felonies.

Upon conviction, the sentencing range is 3 to 12 1/2 years in prison per offense, and the sentences could potentially run back-to-back if different victims and different alleged crimes are involved, Rozema said.

Teachers convicted of the new law must serve the full sentence, with no time off for good behavior, Rozema added.

Pertuit's bond was set at $75,000 cash only on Tuesday, according to jail staff. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 5 in Flagstaff Justice Court.

Residents who might have information about the case are asked to contact the police department at 774-1414.

PROBATION IN RECENT CASE

Tawni Wimberley, a computer and technology teacher, was the last FUSD teacher arrested in the district on sex-related charges.

She pleaded guilty in October last year to having sexual relations with underage students, ages 16 and 17. She was on leave from the school district when the incidents happened in 2007.

Wimberley did not receive prison time because she had no felony record. She was sentenced to three years on probation. She also had to complete 100 hours of community service and must register for the rest of her life as a sex offender.

She had successfully completed a background check required by the school district.

Larry Hendricks can be reached at 556-2262 or lhendricks@azdailysun.com.