A former teacher at Shattuck-St. Mary's School in Faribault, Minn., was transferred from Los Angeles and appeared in a Minnesota court Tuesday on charges of sexual misconduct involving six students.

Lynn P. Seibel, 71, who taught theater and was a "dorm parent" during his tenure at the school from 1992 to 2003, faces 17 counts alleging that he instigated so-called "AP drama" sessions that included group masturbation, other sexually explicit activities and use of pornography.

Seibel had been held in the Los Angeles County jail on unrelated child porn charges and was transferred to Minnesota late Monday before Tuesday's arraignment in Rice County District Court, his first court appearance in the state in connection with the Shattuck case.

Bail was set at $100,000 with conditions, and Seibel remains in the Rice County jail.

The case against Seibel in Los Angeles was dropped, Faribault Police Chief Andy Bohlen said, because "the California prosecutor felt it was better that he be seen for the charges in Minnesota. They released the charges out there."

Seibel had most recently been living in Los Angeles. He also was convicted in 1989 for soliciting or engaging in lewd conduct in a public place in Los Angeles County, records show.

Seibel is a professional actor and director who has appeared in movies and TV shows, including an episode of the comedy series "The Big Bang Theory" this year in which he played a senile professor prone to showing up naked in public.

Faribault police began investigating Seibel in June after getting a tip from a community corrections agent from Olmsted County. That agent told police about a young man who said Seibel had forced him and other students to touch themselves sexually in front of him.

While investigating, police discovered other former students who said they had been abused, authorities said.

Staff writer Jim Adams contributed to this report. Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482