Click in the Eyewitness News Story Window above to watch the accompanying video to this story.
An interesting turn of events, but one that was not unexpected. The estranged wife of a Sunny Hills High School teacher and her boyfriend have been arrested for trying to frame Gregory Abbott on drug and weapon charges. The two have been arrested and charged with planting evidence in Abbott's car and then calling police with phony tips.
Thirty-three-year-old Devon Eileen Abbot of Mira Loma appeared in court for arraignment Monday morning, along with her boyfriend, 42-year-old Soloman Brian Silver.
The two are charged with falsely calling Brea and Placentia police and the California Highway Patrol to report a man pointing a shotgun at them. They described Gregory Abbott's vehicle.
When that didn't work, Silver allegedly called Fullerton police to report Gregory Abbott had just sold him drugs at Sunny Hills High School, where Greg Abbott teaches history.
Police responded and briefly arrested Abbott before realizing they had been set up.
"The Fullerton Police Dept. is confident -- confident -- of no wrongdoing on the part of Mr. Abbott as it relates to this case," announced Sgt. Mike MacDonald, Fullerton Police Dept.
"Based on our investigation, it appears that Mr. Silver entered the vehicle, placed the shotgun, the marijuana and the prescription drugs in the vehicle, and then called us," said Lt. Alex Bastreri, Fullerton Police Dept.
Devon Abbott and Soloman Silver did not enter pleas Monday. Their arraignment was postponed until July 10. They remain in jail with her bail set at $60,000; Silver's bail is $750,000.
Orange County Deputy District Attorney Keith Bogardus won't speculate on a motive.
"The evidence points very clearly to a motivation in this case, but in the interest of an ongoing investigation or prosecution, I'm going to reserve any comment on the motive," said Bogardus.
Bogardus says police retrieved text messages between Mrs. Abbott and Silver that are now a key part of the case.
In one, sent just before police searched Gregory Abbott's car, the text read: "Yes its gonna happen! We ... got him!"
"The number of the overt acts that are articulated in the allegations are text messages that went back and forth," said Bogardus.
The Abbotts reportedly filed for divorce last year, and their relationship since then has reportedly been very contentious.
Filing a false police report and planting evidence are serious crimes. If Devon Abbott and Soloman Silver are convicted, they face up to six years in state prison.
