Middle school teacher who sexually abused students will spend at least 40 years in prison
AURORA — A former middle school teacher in the Cherry Creek School district who admitted to sexually abusing students will spend at least 40 years in prison.
According to a grand jury indictment, Brian Vasquez had an inappropriate sexual relationship with his first victim in 2013. Since then, he has admitted to engaging in an improper sexual relationship with four other girls.
He was sentenced on Friday, and the parole board will determine if he should serve a longer sentence that the minimum of 40 years.
“He knew it was wrong. He knew at some point he would be caught,” Special Prosecutor Cara Morlan said after the sentencing. “Those that commit these kinds of crimes will be held accountable”
Vasquez, 35, pleaded guilty in July to three counts of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust, pattern of abuse, a Class 3 felony; one count of sexual exploitation of a child, a Class 3 felony; one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a child, a Class 4 felony; and one count of internet sexual exploitation of a child, a Class 4 felony.
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Vasquez was a teacher at Prairie Middle School and was arrested in August 2017.
Qusair Mohamedbhai, the lawyer for the victims, said two of the girls are still working on their mental health in an effort to return to school. One of them is about to graduate high school, and the other two are now in college.
He said the victims didn’t just want Vasquez to be punished, and that they also hope his sentence will deter other perpetrators from committing similar crimes.
Two school administrators have also been indicted in connection to the incidents: Adrienne (“AJ”) Macintosh, was a dean at the school, and David Gonzalez was the school principal. According to the indictment, a teen girl reported the abuse to them in 2013.
Instead of reporting the abuse to law enforcement, as required by law, the indictment says Macintosh and Gonzalez told the victim that her testimony would damage the career and life of a good teacher.
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