The Petaluma high school teacher accused of arranging a sexual encounter in San Mateo with whom he thought was a teenage girl he met through MySpace is headed straight to trial after declining to have a preliminary hearing.

Scott Eugene Dietlin, 35, waived his right to the hearing at which prosecutors must show sufficient evidence for trial. Instead, Dietlin heads to Superior Court March 11to enter a plea and set a jury trial date.

Dietlin’s reasons for sidestepping the hearing are unknown although the tactic is not uncommon in cases involving sex crimes or molestation allegations.

Dietlin, a history and economics teacher at Casa Grande High School, reportedly met “Jackie,” a fictional teen girl, online and exchanged e-mails and a photo before arranging a date in November at which he was met not by his pen pal but Burlingame police.

Two Burlingame teen boys had created the person on MySpace.com as a joke with friends — even using a photo of another friend to complete the story — and unexpectedly caught Dietlin in April after he began contacting who he thought was “Jackie,” according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Dietlin reportedly had sexually explicit conversations via instant messaging or text messages but went quiet for several months before starting up again in November. Dietlin sent a photograph of his upper body and indicated he wanted to be intimate, according to authorities. At that point, the boys contacted the Burlingame police who continued the contact with Dietlin.

He was originally charged with felonies including arranging to meet a minor with a sexual intent. Recently, the District Attorney’s Office tacked on another charge from an incident the week before Dietlin’s arrest in which he allegedly arranged to meet “Jackie” but failed to arrive.

If convicted, Dietlin faces up to five years in prison and registration as a sex offender. He remains in custody in lieu of $700,000 bail.

Michelle Durand can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 102.