(FOX 5/KUSI) — A former Escondido High School teacher was sentenced to six years in state prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to multiple sex crimes involving two of his former students.
Kyiri Tisdale, 32, showed no emotion as he stood in a North County courtroom and admitted guilt in connection with the sexual abuse of a male and a female student during his time as a math teacher at Escondido High.
Deputy District Attorney Peter Estes read an emotional victim impact statement from the female student, now an adult, describing the long-term psychological trauma caused by the abuse.
“I could also share in detail how I attempted to end my own life because I couldn’t bear the emotional toll that this situation had left on me,” the victim wrote.
Tisdale was arrested in August 2024 following an investigation that began earlier that year. Prosecutors said the abuse occurred between 2022 and 2023. Tisdale, who had worked at the school since 2019, reportedly groomed the students by gaining their trust and gradually crossing boundaries until the relationships turned sexual.
“He provided opportunities to hang out, gave them little things high schoolers like, and ingratiated himself more and more into their lives,” Estes said.
Authorities collected digital evidence, including data from Tisdale’s smartphone and computer. The case did not go to trial after Tisdale accepted a plea deal, reducing the original 26 felony charges to seven.
Under the agreement, Tisdale avoided a maximum possible sentence of 19 years. However, he will be required to register as a sex offender for life and could be released in as few as three years with credit for good behavior.
Prosecutors urged any additional victims to come forward.
“If they feel like they need to be heard, we are always going to be willing to listen,” Estes said.
