One current and one former teacher from Greeley, Colorado’s Northridge High School (in Weld County) have been accused of sexually assaulting teenage students (C.R.S. 18-3-405). The first, a Spanish teacher in the Greeley-Evans District 6 school, is facing two charges of sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust (C.R.S. 18-3-405.3), for allegedly assaulting a teenage boy who was under her guardianship. The other, who is now a teacher in Florida, was a language arts teacher in Greeley for two years, and has been charged in Florida with sexually assaulting a teenage boy in a closet, and of possessing and distributing child pornography (Sexual Exploitation of a Child, C.R.S. 18-6-403).
In Weld, Arapahoe, and Adams County, Colorado, sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust (C.R.S. 18-3-405.3) is a class 3 felony if:
- The victim is less than fifteen years of age, or
- the actor commits the offense as part of a pattern of sexual abuse.
It is a class 4 felony if the victim is between fifteen and seventeen years old and the sexual assault is not committed as part of a pattern of sexual abuse. Additionally, if a person is convicted of the class 3 felony sexual assault, they are subject to mandatory and indeterminate sentencing to prison by the court.
The former Northridge teacher who now lives in Florida was fired by the Greeley-Evans School District after parents alleged misconduct with their daughter. It is unclear at this time what that alleged misconduct was, and whether the school district had knowledge that this teacher committed any prior sexual offenses against students.
Many times, especially in today’s over-sexualized society, students falsely accuse their teachers of sexual offenses. Because of the stigma associated with these crimes, many teachers lose their jobs before they are actually found guilty of a crime. Additionally, many times evidence in these cases comes down to the word of a confused teenager against the word of a teacher. At the O’Malley Law Office, we specialize in these types of cases. We will zealously defend your presumption of innocence, and use every tool available to us to discredit the complaining witness/student.
If you are facing sexual assault charges in Denver, Weld, Douglas, or Jefferson County, Colorado, you do not have to fight against the system alone. The police and prosecutors will take the word of a child over your word every time. So, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and call us today at 303-731-0719. Together, we can protect your future.