VERNON, Conn. -- A former teacher's aide was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting as many as five girls.

Police said 31-year-old Scott Shefelbine of Tolland met teenage girls on the Internet through MySpace.com, told the girls he was 19 years old and then sexually assaulted them -- even forcing them at times.

Vernon police said they launched the investigation after a man was spotted under a tower with a young girl.

Investigators said they are now calling him a sexual predator and hope more victims will soon come forward.

"What would you call somebody who uses the Internet to arrange to have sexual relations with a girl, but a sexual predator," said Lt. John Collins of the Vernon Police Department.

Police said they were led to Shefelbine after an officer saw him with a 16-year-old girl at 3 a.m.

Shefelbine, according to police, studied criminal law before his arrest. He told investigators that he only contacted the girls and that he never touched them.

Police said the officer started asking questions and now there are four victims ranging from age 14 to 17. West Hartford police are investigating a possible fifth victim. Police said they expect that there may be more.

"Over the coming weeks we are going to examine five computers that were taken from his home with the hopes of identifying more victims," said Collins.

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Len Bestoff reported that Shefelbine worked for two years as a teacher's aide at Ellington High School before he was dismissed in 2004 for inappropriate activity with a student.

Shefelbine lives with his parents at their Tolland home, where they run a computer business. He was released to house arrest on $500,000 bond and was ordered not to have any contact with girls under the age of 18 and must wear an ankle bracelet.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Vernon Police Department at 860-872-9126

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