A former middle school assistant principal in San Jose has been indicted on federal sex trafficking charges.
The former assistant principal at Sunrise Middle School, Ruben Guzman, 32, was one of 29 suspects arrested in connection with actions of the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Task Force leading up to the Feb. 8 Super Bowl at Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium.
School officials said Guzman was separated from his school position after his arrest on Feb. 3.
Administrators at the county chartered middle school on Julian Street in downtown San Jose previously said the allegations against Guzman did not involve the campus or its students and that the school was fully cooperating with the investigation.
“Our immediate priority was student safety. The individual was removed from campus right away and will have no further contact with students,” said Teresa Robinson, the school's director in a statement to media. “Since then, we have spoken with students in age-appropriate ways, communicated directly with families, and made counseling support available on campus.”
In a news release announcing Guzman’s arrest, the San Jose Police Department had said he communicated with an officer posing as a teen boy and “acknowledged the child was underage and told the minor that he wanted to engage in sexual acts, further enticing the minor by offering money in exchange.”
Guzman’s indictment by a federal grand jury accused him of attempted sex trafficking of a minor and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
The indictment alleges that Guzman attempted to engage in a commercial sex act with a person that he believed to be under the age of 14. The indictment also alleges that Guzman attempted to engage in sexual activities with a person that he believed to be under 18.
Guzman was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila for further proceedings.
If convicted, Guzman faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for both counts. Attempted sex trafficking of a minor carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor carries a 10-year mandatory minimum. Guzman also faces a fine of up to $250,000.
The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the San Jose Police Department.
