By David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
Assistant Principal, Anthony Alvarez, 40, of Arvada High School, located in Arvada, Colorado, faces charges of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust. It was reported that his wife caught Alvarez having an affair with a student and forced him to turn himself in.
Alvarez allegedly met the young girl when she was in 7th grade, and he was a teacher at Everitt Middle School in Wheat Ridge. Alverez said the young girl came onto him.
He claims this was a first time encounter and has never had sex with anyone under the age of 18 before.
When interviewed, the young girl said she and Alverez had been seeing each other for the past six to eight months. The young girl said he was inappropriate numerous times at school—grabbing her chest, butt, and showing off his erection. According to the girl, Alverez gave her a ride home one day, drove into the Landmark movie theatre parking lot, and made her rub his nipples, touch herself, and rub and lick his private area. The young girl claims she was scared, left when it was over, and called her parents.
Alvarez has been an assistant principal at Arvada High School since 2008. He has been with the Jeffco Public Schools District since 2000. The school district has placed him on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. The school district sent a letter to all parents explaining Alverez’s charges as required by the Colorado Department of Education.
Mr. Alvarez will be entitled to representation from a Colorado criminal defense attorney or the public defender’s office as to these criminal charges. The criminal case will be resolved either by trial, a plea agreement, or a dismissal depending on facts of the case and the strength of the evidence on the case.
Police have seized Alvarez’s computer and cell phone as part of the investigation.
At his hearing, bond was set at $5,000. If he makes bond, Alvarez will not be allowed to use the Internet or a computer, will not be allowed to contact the victim, and will not be allowed to contact anyone under the age of 18.
Unfortunately, teacher-student sexual relations occur far too frequently. Parents should keep a close eye on their children by continuously asking questions and being involved in their lives. Hopefully, by simply being aware, a parent’s intuition can reveal a secret relationship. Parents should also try to educate their children on the importance of telling a parent or other authority figure if a teacher or adult is inappropriate.
School members and employees should observe the actions of all teachers very closely. Teachers and faculty members should keep in mind that this is an everyday occurrence, and they should look for any signs alluding to a student-teacher relationship.
For more information, see Wife Discovers Asst. Principal’s Affair With Student