A Hemet day-care operator faces up to 45 years in prison after pleading guilty to allegations he molested several children in his care.

David Scott Gibson, 34, is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 30. Gibson, who is free on $25,000 bail, pleaded guilty Sept. 8 to 10 felonies, including committing lewd acts with a child, using force or fear to commit lewd acts with a child and assault with a deadly weapon.

He also pleaded guilty to allegations he distributed child pornography.

Gibson operated a day-care center with his wife at their Yale Street residence for about 18 months and worked as a security guard at night. Investigators say Gibson molested five children who attended the center, mostly in the daytime when his wife was at work. Authorities do not believe Gibson's wife, whom they have declined to identify, was involved in the molestations or knew about them. The center closed in March when the allegations surfaced.

Police allege Gibson molested three other children he had met years ago through a church.

The victims, some of whom are now adults, were between 2 and 12 years old when the molestations occurred.

Deputy District Attorney Kennis Clark said charges were filed involving four children. If the case had gone to trial, she said, the prosecution would have introduced testimony from the other alleged victims to try to show a pattern of illegal behavior.

The plea was entered with Judge Robert G. Spitzer, meaning there was no settlement between the defense and prosecution. Spitzer ordered that Gibson be evaluated by a psychiatrist before sentencing.

Gibson's attorney, Katie Weiss of Sherman Oaks, said there will be testimony from his family, including his wife, during the sentencing hearing. She said there were many extenuating circumstances in the case, although she declined to elaborate.

The minimum sentence is three years in prison.

Gibson was arrested in August after a five-month investigation that started in March when a 4-year-old girl told her mother he had touched her inappropriately. The woman contacted police. An anonymous letter police received earlier this year led to other apparent victims.

Published 9/23/1998