Parents in New Mexico and elsewhere send their children to school with the belief they will be taken care of and will be in a safe place. Those in a position of authority at the school bear an awesome responsibility for ensuring the safety and security of students; however, some school personnel use their positions to engage in improper relationships with students. This appears to be the case in a recent sexual abuse incident, where a school’s security guard has recently pleaded guilty to the charges.
Details concerning incident and charges
The incident occurred at West Las Vegas Middle School in New Mexico. Reportedly, the school security guard had a sexual relationship with a student at the school in 2019 that lasted for several months. The suspect is described as a 53-year-old man. He was charged with criminal sexual penetration of a minor, criminal solicitation to commit tampering with evidence, three counts of false imprisonment, and bribery of a witness.
Apparently, the young victim, described as a 14-year-old girl came forward about the incident. The state’s Attorney General’s Office took over the investigation from the Las Vegas Police and uncovered the unlawful relationship between the girl and the man. The man purportedly told the girl to delete all texts from him, and he used a code name when referring to her.
Legal repercussions
Because the man pleaded guilty to the charges, he faces the potential of spending up to 10 years behind bars. The court has not set a sentencing date yet. Like this man, those under suspicion or charged with sexual abuse offenses should work closely with a criminal defense attorney who has experience with these types of cases. A lawyer will analyze all evidence against the client and work aggressively to help the suspect obtain the most favorable outcome possible, considering the circumstances.
