UCLA Classics Professor Andrew Dyck pleaded guilty on Friday to two felony counts arising from a series of sexually explicit Internet exchanges with a 13-year-old girl from Simi Valley.
Dyck pleaded guilty to one felony count of sending harmful matter over the Internet with the intent to seduce a minor, and one felony count of attempted sending of harmful matter with the intent to seduce a minor, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. He is free on $10,000 bail, and is scheduled for sentencing by the court on May 20.
His attorney, Donald Etra, said Dyck had intended to plead not guilty to the charges until Ventura County Superior Court Judge Bruce Clark considered giving him a probationary term and no more than 180 days of jail time. Prior to pleading guilty, Dyck faced up to four years in prison.
“He was given an offer he could not refuse,” Etra said.
Etra added that he plans on making a strong case before the judge to ensure that Dyck is granted probation.
“This is the one and only mistake he’s ever made in his life,” he said. “He’s had a distinguished career as a contributor to society.”
Etra also noted that the Internet “is kind of a fantasyland” for some, but said certain communications on the Internet are not permitted by law.
UCLA spokesman Harlan Lebo said Dyck was placed on paid administrative leave pending further review by the university administration. Likely to follow is a review by the Academic Senate, which oversees academic policy and faculty matters.
Dyck, who has taught at UCLA since 1978, taught two undergraduate courses and one graduate course last quarter. He is scheduled to teach one undergraduate course and one graduate course spring quarter, said Classics Chairman Robert Gurval. But pending the university review, the status of those courses could change before the beginning of the quarter.
Etra said while on leave his client will continue his scholarship and research. Gurval declined to comment on specific actions that may be taken, but said his department is “deeply saddened by this event.”
Dyck turned himself in to authorities on Oct. 2 after a warrant was issued for his arrest following a nine-month investigation by the Simi Valley Police Department. From November 2002 until July 2003, Dyck sent numerous e-mails intended for the victim. According to police and the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, Dyck’s e-mails included links to web pages displaying pornography. The victim received the earliest e-mails from Dyck. After the recipient’s family reported the conduct to authorities, police then posed as the recipient and continued to receive communications from Dyck. A police search of his home was conducted, and the materials in question were eventually connected to information on his home computer.