This browser does not support the Video element.
San Jose assistant principal arrested in child sex sting
Ruben Guzman, an assistant principal at a San Jose middle school, was arrested after allegedly attempting to solicit a 13-year-old boy for sex.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - A former assistant principal at a San Jose middle school has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly attempting to sex traffic and entice a minor.
Federal charges
Ruben Guzman, 32, made his first court appearance Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on charges of attempted sex trafficking of a minor and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
Federal prosecutors allege Guzman attempted to engage in a commercial sex act with a minor under the age of 14. He is also accused of attempting to engage in sexual activity with a minor under the age of 18.
Arrested in human trafficking sting
The backstory:
The federal charges come after Guzman was arrested during a Super Bowl weekend human trafficking sting operation.
San Jose police said Guzman communicated with someone he believed was a 13-year-old boy. Despite knowing the child was underage, Guzman allegedly expressed a desire to engage in sex acts with the minor and offered money in exchange, according to police.
Police said Guzman arranged to pick up the child in San Jose but was met by officers when he arrived.
Sunrise Middle School responds to arrest
What they're saying:
At the time of his arrest, Guzman was an assistant principal at Sunrise Middle School. The school previously said the allegations against Guzman did not involve the campus or its students and that the school was fully cooperating with the investigation.
"Our immediate priority was student safety. The individual was removed from campus right away and will have no further contact with students," said Teresa Robinson, the school's director. "Since then, we have spoken with students in age-appropriate ways, communicated directly with families, and made counseling support available on campus."
Potential sentence
What's next:
If convicted, Guzman faces a maximum sentence of life in prison on both counts.
The Source: This story was based on statements from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, along with earlier reporting on the San Jose Police Department’s announcement of the defendant’s February arrest.