Did State Police Know about Abuse Allegations against Santa Fe Teacher?

By Mark Oswald
Albuquerque Journal
February 4, 2016

http://www.abqjournal.com/718547/news/state-police-now-probing-why-no-charges-filed-against-santa-fe-teacher-years-ago.html

ANTA FE — An arrest warrant affidavit filed by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office this week stated that State Police may have known about alleged sexual abuse by a Santa Fe Catholic school teacher in 2012, and now State Police say they’re conducting an internal investigation as to why no charges were ever filed.

In another development, the Journal confirmed that after his initial arrest in January for alleged improper touching of a girl at Santo Nino Regional Catholic School, a judge gave teacher Aaron Dean Chavez permission to attend a pro football playoff game in Denver. But Chavez’s lawyer says Chavez didn’t go.

CHAVEZ: Vigorously denies all allegations

Chavez, 47, was arrested again by Santa Fe deputies Tuesday on four charges of sexual criminal contact of a minor after more four girls came forward and said Chavez sexually molested them at Santo Nino as far back as 2007. Chavez was initially arrested Jan. 20 for one count of sexual criminal contact of a minor after a 6-year-old female student told her parents that Chavez touched her private areas as he was tucking in her shirt during art class last month. He was released on bond and GPS monitoring a day after the first arrest.

An affidavit from the sheriff’s office says two 14-year-old girls alerted Santo Nino principal Theresa Vaisa in 2012 that Chavez touched their buttocks while he bounced them on his lap when they were in his first-grade class in 2007. State Police were also notified of those incidents, but charges were never brought and Chavez continued to work at the school. On Thursday, State Police Chief Pete Kassetas said in a statement that there is now an internal investigation into why no charges were filed and he says disciplinary action may be taken.

“The No. 1 priority of the New Mexico State Police is to protect the people of this state and we take that job very seriously,” Kassetas said. “In 2012, State Police took a report about alleged misconduct at Santo Nino Catholic School.

“Based on information we recently received from the Santa Fe County’s Sheriff’s Office, we have opened an internal investigation to find out why no further action was taken. Again, we take this very seriously and any missteps on our part may result in disciplinary action. The New Mexico State Police is fully cooperating with the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office on the investigation into the allegations against Mr. Chavez in this case.”

Two 8-year-old girls also came forward after Chavez’s initial arrest and said he touched them inappropriately. One of those girls told deputies that Chavez put his hand in her underwear and touched her genitals in December 2014, while the other said Chavez ran his hand through her hair and touched her buttocks during a recent art class. The Archdiocese of Santa Fe on Wednesday released a statement about Chavez, who is on administrative leave, but didn’t address the 2012 allegations and didn’t return a phone call seeking additional comment.

Chavez is now out on a $50,000 bond and is on house arrest, according to court records. His attorney John Samore released a statement saying, “The State has made very serious allegations but has yet to provide a single word of evidence to review. We caution the Santa Fe community not to jump to conclusions and please remain mindful of how, all too often, these kind of allegations against honorable citizens prove exaggerated or wholly false. Mr. Chavez vigorously denies all allegations.”

Samore confirmed Thursday that Magistrate Court Judge David Segura gave Chavez permission to go to Colorado to watch the NFL AFC Championship game between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos on Jan. 24, but he said that Chavez told him he never went to “see his beloved Broncos.” Samore said that happened before he started representing Chavez.