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Teacher Pleads Not Guilty to 41 Counts of Lewd Acts and Child Molestation

Thomas Joseph Snider, 47, was charged with 33 felony counts of lewd acts on a child and eight misdemeanor counts of child molestation.

A Torrance high school teacher and wrestling coach plead not guilty in court Thursday after turning himself into detectives the day before following a months long investigation and accusations that he committed lewd acts against dozens of males students.

Thomas Joseph Snider, 47, was charged with 33 felony counts of lewd acts on a child and eight misdemeanor counts of child molestation involving 25 alleged victims ranging in ages from 13 to 16, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

It was unclear if the teens were members of the wrestling team or students of Snider’s.

His attorney, Rosty Gore, said Snider had a lifelong battle with diabetes and requested an emergency medical release in court along with a reduced bond reduction. They were both denied by the judge.

Gore said that “without a blanket, shivering, sleeping on a steel bench, cold, not being provided with the medical treatment and care his wife and children routinely give to him which he needs,” Snider’s life was on the line.

Snider’s wife and other family members were in the courtroom when the judge read his charges.

An investigation was launched in January after several students alleged Snider molested them. The criminal complaint alleges the crimes took place from September 2013 to February 2015. A warrant was filed on April 9 and Snider turned himself in Wednesday.

His next court date was scheduled for April 20.

He was taken back to jail and remained on a $900,000 bond.

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