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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend October 10, 2006 Clinic receptionist charged with sex abuse By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune A receptionist at a nonprofit medical and dental clinic operating on the Jackson School grounds was arrested Monday on sex-abuse charges for allegedly fondling four girls at the clinic, Medford police said. Medford police went to Luis Armando Mesta's home on the 300 block of Clark Street at 3 p.m. Monday and arrested the 29-year-old man on four counts of first-degree sexual abuse, police said. The charges allege that Mesta molested his victims, all girls 9 or 10 years old, while working at the Kids Health Connection on the west Medford school campus, week, Medford police Lt. Tim George said. Mesta was a clerk who was not supposed to have physical contact with patients, George said. Mesta allegedly waited until the clinic nurse was out of the room before molesting his victims, George said. The children were molested individually between April and the start of October, George said. Advertisement "It's an unusual case," George said. "We're certainly not done with this. We'll see if other victims come forward." The case came to light Oct. 2 after one of the alleged victims said something to a school official, George said. Mesta was removed from the clinic as soon as the allegations surfaced, he said. Mesta, whose only prior criminal conviction was 2001 for his role in a bank-fraud ring in Medford, was lodged at the Jackson County Jail in lieu of $4 million bail. First-degree sexual abuse is a crime covered under Oregon's Measure 11 minimum-sentencing rules. It carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 61„4 years in prison upon conviction. Mesta worked at the clinic for less than a year, said George, who did not believe that Mesta worked at any other of the non-profit's clinics. Kids Health Connection Director Traci Fossen could not be located for comment Monday evening. Anyone with information on the case was urged to telephone Medford police Detective Phil Steigleder at 774-2228. The Kids Health Connection is a partnership between Asante Health System, Providence Medford Medical Center, La Clinica del Valle and the Medford and Phoenix-Talent school districts. It clinics at Jackson, Oak Grove, Washington and Phoenix elementary schools provide health care by licensed medical professionals to any elementary student in the Medford and Phoenix-Talent school districts with a referral. Fees are calculated on a sliding scale based on family income. The program has had more than 19,000 patient visits since its inception in 1997. Mesta's only prior conviction in Oregon was on a forgery count for his role in a 12-member bank-fraud ring that cashed stolen checks worth up to $150,000 at local banks from late 1999 to early 2001, court records show. Police at the time considered Mesta to be a small player who admitted to cashing a forged $16,000 check from a Portland-based golf company at a Washington Mutual bank branch in Medford. He was sentenced in May 2001 to probation and restitution and he testified against the scam's ringleaders. Mesta's forgery conviction was treated as a misdemeanor, court records show. Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing Southern Oregon Loans --> GMAT Prep Fundraisers Send Flowers Texas Electric Choice Entertainment Guide --> Casinos Canada Trunks, Footlocker Online Casino Reviews Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com