A former assistant principal and math teacher at San Jose’s Sunrise Middle School has been charged in federal court with attempted sex trafficking of a child and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Ruben Guzman, 32, was arraigned in San Jose after prosecutors say he communicated online with an officer posing as a teenage boy, offered money for sexual acts, and acknowledged the person was underage.
According to The Mercury News, the charges stem from an undercover operation carried out by the San Jose Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force during Super Bowl week, when Guzman was arrested on February 3. The task force coordinated with the FBI and other federal and local agencies for what the report describes as a broader sting, which resulted in the arrests of Guzman and 11 other men ranging in age from 24 to 72.
Federal authorities said Guzman is facing the charges following the arrest, and he was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, authorities said. Per SJPD, Guzman told the minor he wanted to engage in sexual acts and offered money in exchange, while also acknowledging the child was underage.
What the Indictment Alleges
The indictment alleges Guzman attempted to engage in a commercial sex act with a person he believed was under 14, and separately, that he attempted to engage in sexual activities with a person he believed was under 18. If convicted on both counts, Guzman faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, the outlet’s report notes…