Encinitas

A teacher at San Dieguito High School pleaded guilty Friday to two misdemeanor counts of molesting two 17-year-old female students.

George Dewey Warner III, 34, of Encinitas, could receive a year in County Jail when he is sentenced Jan. 15 by San Diego Municipal Judge Charles Patrick.

However, in an unusual move, Warner agreed to start his sentence Tuesday, even though he could have remained free on his $33,000 bail bond over the Christmas holidays.

Warner was charged Oct. 9 with three felony molestation counts plus two misdemeanor charges involving four girls. Deputy Dist. Atty. John Williams amended the charges Friday to include only one felony count, which was dropped, and the two misdemeanors, which he said reflected the evidence.

Warner will lose his teaching credential.

The prosecutor said the molestations occurred outside the classroom.

Warner was a social studies teacher at the Encinitas school for five years, but was placed on a leave of absence without pay after the investigation began in September.