Former elementary school employee accused of touching students

LA JOYA -- A former computer instructor sits behind bars after at least 10 elementary school students told police they were sexually molested after he gave them candy.

Police arrested Armando Silvestre Gutierrez on Thursday for allegedly touching first grade girls and boys on their private parts over a two-day span in May 2008.

Gutierrez, 35, was charged with 10 counts of indecency with a child, a second-degree felony that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

The children's parents told La Joya school district police that their kids said Gutierrez had touched them during several incidents on May 28 and 29 of last year.

The alleged abuse took place during Gutierrez's computer classes at Clinton Elementary School near Peñitas, according to the criminal complaint in the case.

The first graders said Gutierrez touched their private parts outside their clothing after he gave them candy, said Raul Gonzalez, police chief for the La Joya school district.

"We do background checks on employees and unfortunately when this does happen ... we don't see it in the background check," he said. "It might be a first time."

Records show that Gutierrez is not a registered sex offender and has no previous criminal history, except for a driving while intoxicated charge that a judge dismissed in March 2007.

It is the policy of The Monitor to not identify alleged victims of sexual abuse.

The investigation into Gutierrez's alleged abuse has lasted more than seven months and led police to issue a warrant for his arrest on Thursday.

Gutierrez no longer works for the La Joya school district, Gonzalez said, who would not confirm when he left his job, saying it was a "personnel matter."

"He is no longer around any of our schools or any of our kids," the police chief said.

Justice of the Peace Ismael "Melo" Ochoa set Gutierrez's bond at $2.5 million for the 10 counts of indecency with a child during a Thursday afternoon arraignment.

Officers continue to investigate the alleged abuse at the hands of Gutierrez, who remained at the Hidalgo County Jail late Monday evening. He could be charged with as many as five more counts of indecency with a child, Gonzalez said.

"These are very isolated incidents that we monitor as much as we can," Gonzalez said. "When this happens we deal with it right away and make sure no one is within harm's way."

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Jared Taylor covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4439.