Merced High teacher accused of sex with student due in court next month

A Merced High School teacher who is accused of having sex with a student made a brief appearance in Merced County Superior Court on Friday for a preliminary hearing.

Blia Yang, 30, is charged with felony oral copulation of a minor, felony unlawful sex with a minor and misdemeanor annoying or molesting a minor. He has pleaded not guilty to all three charges.

He is due back in court for a preliminary examination in April.

Yang was arrested and jailed in December 2016 by a sheriff’s sergeant who saw Yang and a 16-year-old girl in a parked pickup truck in Courthouse Park, around the corner from the sheriff’s station.

The teen was seated in the driver’s seat with her back to the steering wheel straddling Yang, according to authorities. The two said they were playing Pokemon Go when Yang fell asleep. But, the sheriff’s sergeant said evidence suggested the two were engaged in inappropriate sexual acts.

Yang taught physics, Advanced Placement chemistry and other classes at Merced High School for five years, according to the school website. He was placed on administrative leave, Merced Union High School District officials said.

After Yang’s arrest, Merced police investigators interviewed the victim and served search warrants in Yang’s Merced home and classroom at Merced High, collecting computers, cellphones, thumb drives and other items, according to police reports filed in court.

The student told investigators that Yang was her teacher in different classes over the years at Merced High. She also knew Yang from clubs she participated in. At first, the victim told investigators she and Yang were in a sexual relationship for a few months, but then she denied ever having sex with Yang.

Yang repeatedly denied ever having sex with the girl and said he rejected her advances.

Yang and the victim are distantly related, according to reports.

Yang remains free on bail.

This story was originally published March 24, 2017 at 4:47 PM with the headline "Merced High teacher accused of sex with student due in court next month."