Judge Drops Case Against School Administrators In Case Linked To Sex Assault
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - The cases against two Cherry Creek School District administrators, a school principal and a dean, have been dropped. They had been indicted with failing to report child abuse related to a sexual assault case.
Eighteenth Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler is asking the Colorado Attorney General to appeal the decision.
On Wednesday, the judge dismissed the cases against David Gonzalez, the principal at Prairie Middle School and Adrienne Macintosh, the dean. The judge said the statute of limitations on the case against the administrators ran out.
Brian Vasquez a former Prairie Middle School teacher, was sentenced to 40 years to life after pleading guilty to charges involving sexual relationships he had with female students.
Vasquez was a teacher at the school for seven years. He admitted using his position and the vulnerability of five girls to exchange photos and have sex in a car with some of them.
One of the victims allegedly told staff about the abuse in 2013 but nothing was done. The victim claims that both the principal and dean urged her to reconsider reporting Vasquez by saying it would hurt his career.
The indictment also stated that the victim attended a meeting with the administrators and Vasquez where she was pressured to recant her statements and forced to apologize. She also had to hug Vasquez.
The Cherry Creek School District recently agreed to an $11.5 million settlement with the victims and their families.
