Crime & Safety
Cherry Creek Middle School Teacher Sentenced To 40 Years
Brian Vasquez, 35, pleaded guilty to sexually abusing five girls and exchanging pornographic "sexting" images.
AURORA, CO – Former Cherry Creek School District middle school teacher Brian Vasquez was sentenced to prison today for five counts of sexual assault and exploitation of girls who had been his students. Vasquez, 35, a former social science teacher at Prairie Middle School in Aurora, was sentenced to 40 years in prison by an 18th Judicial District Court Judge.
Vasquez was accused in August, 2017 of inappropriately engaging in sexual contact with his students over five years. He had taught at the middle school since 2011. He pleaded guilty in July to five counts of sexual assault, exploitation and internet sexual exploitation of a child. Vasquez originally faced 41 counts. Prosecutors said Vasquez sexually abused his students and exchanged pornographic "sexting" images.
Students and their parents said administrators ignored their complaints about Vasquez as early as 2013. It wasn't until one victim and her parents reported Vasquez's actions to the Aurora Police in 2017 that the district responded. Administrators were charged with failing to report sexual abuse and the controversy brought down a principal, administrators and superintendent.
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Cherry Creek's new superintendent, Scott A. Siegfried announced Monday that the district had reached a settlement agreement for $11.5 million for families of girls who had been sexually abused by Vasquez.
"We acknowledge that no amount of money can right the wrongs committed against these students by Mr. Vasquez. No student should ever suffer the injury and loss of innocence that these young women suffered as a result of the reprehensible actions of Mr. Vasquez," Siegfried wrote in a letter district parents.
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Related: Cherry Creek SD Pays Out $11.5M To Middle-School Sex Victims
Related: Cherry Creek SD Teacher Pleads Guilty To Sex Assault Of Students
Image via 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office
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