The Willow Glen Resident

Michael Briseno

A San Jose music teacher faces molestation charges

Briseno taught at WG Elementary during 1997-98

By Michelle Ku

A freelance music teacher who taught at several San Jose schools and gave private lessons in the area was charged in Santa Clara County Municipal Court with 16 felony counts of lewd and lascivious behavior on Friday.

Michael Wesley Briseno, 36, who taught at Willow Glen Elementary School from November 1997 to March 1998, is alleged to have performed oral sex and other sexual acts with three boys between the ages of 10 and 14 in his San Jose apartment on the 600 block of S. Seventh Street. Police said the alleged acts occurred between June 1997 and March 1998.

Briseno has yet to enter a plea; that hearing has been set for Friday, June 19, at 2 p.m. Briseno's attorneys, Michael Paez and Thomas Salciccia, have asked to address the issue of bail at that point as well, said Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Dana Overstreet. Bail is currently set at $1.5 million, and Briseno remains in custody.

Briseno faces four counts of attempted lewd and lascivious behavior, 11 counts of lewd and lascivious behavior and one count of oral copulation with a minor. Overstreet says Briseno faces a maximum of 32 years and five months in prison if convicted.

Briseno's attorneys could not be reached for comment.

Police began to investigate Briseno following a March police report of a possible child molestation, said San Jose Police Sgt. Derek Edwards, adding that investigators think there may have been more than three victims.

"At this time, there is no evidence of any of these acts occurring on a school campus," Overstreet said.

Briseno, who spent the last three months in Mexico, voluntarily turned himself into the Santa Clara County Department of Correction on June 8, Edwards said.

Briseno apparently met his alleged victims while employed as a music instructor at various schools in San Jose, Edwards said.

At this time, investigators are not releasing the names of the boys or the schools they attended for their protection, but San Jose Unified School District spokesperson Maureen Munroe said that Briseno had taught at several schools in the district.

Last spring during an interview with The Resident for a story about his music program, Briseno said he was teaching at Willow Glen Elementary, providing Willow Glen with music lessons through the Silicon Valley Youth Conservatory, a program of San Jose State University. Briseno was instructing the entire school, but primarily kindergartners, in how to play the recorder.

At that time, school officials complimented The Phonics of Music, the teaching method Briseno developed with his business partner of 10 years, Chico Dembski.

After Briseno stopped teaching, Dembski took over the classes. At the time, SVYC director Richard Aldag and Willow Glen Elementary principal Lois Allen confirmed that Briseno had taught at Willow Glen. Both declined to comment after charges were filed against Briseno.

In addition to teaching at area schools, Briseno also gave private lessons. "Any illegal acts that may have happened took place during private lessons at his home. Therefore, we are attempting to make contact with any parents who may have had an opportunity to send their children to private lessons," Munroe said.

Dembski said he could not believe the charges filed against Briseno. "I could not tell one thing. You would think that if something was going on, I would see or feel some type of intuition. I can't even imagine..." Dembski said.

Dembski said that he and Briseno followed a strict policy for the private music lessons they gave.

"Michael was the one who told me, 'No, no, no. We can never have the kids come to our house or you go to their house alone. Don't you ever teach any of the kids without someone around, either a mother or father, aunt or uncle,' " Dembski said.

Investigators are encouraging anyone with further information to contact San Jose Police Sgt. Ted Marfia or Det. Steve Mc-Ewan at 277-4102. Anyone wishing to report information anonymously can call the San Jose Police Crime Stoppers at 947-STOP.

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