Middle school assistant principal allegedly tried to pay for sex with 13-year-old — but it was a sting operation

Police said in a press release that they arrested a middle school vice principal in a child sex sting operation in San Jose, California.

The San Jose Police Department said officers were conducting the sting operation ahead of the Super Bowl game when they got 31-year-old Ruben Guzman to respond to their decoy.

Police asked for help from the public to identify other possible victims, given the suspect’s access to children at his job.

The suspect believed he was communicating with a 13-year-old boy when he allegedly offered to exchange money for sexual acts, according to police.

“Guzman arranged to pick up the child in the city of San Jose,” Police Sgt. Jorge Garibay said in the release. “But when he arrived, he was apprehended by officers with the SJPD Covert Response Unit who immediately took him into custody.”

Police said that when they searched him as well as his vehicle, they found “items consistent with the planned encounter” but did not elaborate on what those items were.

They then discovered that Guzman was working as an assistant principal at Sunrise Middle School located in San Jose.

Guzman was arrested and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on a charge of communicating with a minor for sex.

Police asked for help from the public to identify other possible victims, given the suspect’s access to children at his job.

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A KRON-TV report noted that his bio on the school’s website read, “My job as a teacher is to make students believe in themselves and take an active role in their community.”

Sunrise Middle School administrators said in a statement to KRON that Guzman was removed from the campus immediately and would not be allowed to have contact with students.

“Last Wednesday, we were informed by law enforcement that our assistant principal had been arrested in connection with allegations involving a minor that did not involve our school. Our immediate priority was student safety,” administrators said in part. “We have spoken with students in age-appropriate ways, communicated directly with families, and made counseling support available on campus. At this time, there is no information indicating that any Sunrise students were involved. While this is deeply upsetting, it does not reflect who we are as a school.”

Another 10 men were nabbed in the sting operation.

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Image Source: San Jose Police Department press release composite

The suspects were named Cesar Rodriguez-Vela, Jose Garcia-Hernandez, Nelson Mejia-Rivas, Dexter Goody, Luis Medina De Leon, Gonzalo Yesca, Michael Valdeolivar, Harjeet Singh, Joey Minh Truc Nguyen, and Frank Huang, according to a separate press release.

They were also booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on charges that included attempted lewd acts with a minor, arranging meetings with a minor for sexual purposes, and child exploitation crimes.

The suspects ranged in age from 25 to 72 years old.

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