San Jose: School assistant principal arrested in online child sex sting

SAN JOSE — A middle school assistant principal was arrested last week on allegations he offered to pay for sex with someone he believed to be a minor, as part of a sweeping undercover police sting targeting online child exploitation, authorities said.

Ruben Guzman, 31, of San Jose, was arrested Feb. 3 after he reportedly arranged to meet with a 13-year-old boy — actually a police officer posing as a child online — and was instead met by officers with the San Jose Police Department’s Covert Response Unit.

Guzman’s arrest was part of an operation conducted by SJPD’s Internet Crimes Against Children task force and the FBI timed with Super Bowl week, when law-enforcement agencies and public officials historically increase attention on human trafficking and child exploitation.

Along with Guzman, 11 other Bay Area men were arrested in the same sweep, in which police officers went on various online platforms and forums to purport themselves as underage children in search of people who solicited them for sex. The men arrested were between the ages of 24 and 72.

Police allege that on the evening of Feb. 3, Guzman communicated with a police officer identifying as a teen boy, and that Guzman “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,” according to an SJPD news release. He was arrested later that day.

Investigators also reported that a search of Guzman and his car “revealed items consistent with the planned encounter,” and they soon learned of his employment at Sunrise Middle School, where he is listed as an assistant principal and math teacher.

Guzman was booked at the Santa Clara County jail on suspicion of felony and misdemeanor counts encompassing communicating with a minor for sex. Records show that he is not in jail custody; detectives were expected to present their investigation to the county District Attorney’s Office, for charging evaluation, on Wednesday.

Police said “the school administration was notified and is fully cooperating with the investigation.” The administration emphasized in a statement that Guzman “was removed from campus right away and will have no further contact with students.”

“Since then, we have spoken with students in age-appropriate ways, communicated directly with families, and made counseling support available on campus,” the statement reads. “We have also provided clear ways for anyone in our community to share concerns … While this is deeply upsetting, it does not reflect who we are as a school. Our focus remains on supporting our students and families.”

The broader undercover operation involved SJPD, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, police departments in Fremont, Menlo Park, Newark, San Francisco and Greenfield, and the sheriff’s offices in Santa Clara and Napa counties.

Anyone with additional information about Guzman’s conduct can call 408-277-4102 or email Detective Mark Minten at 4269@sanjoseca.gov. Tips can also be left with Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at 408-947-7867 or at siliconvalleycrimestoppers.org.