NEW MEXICO
The New Mexican
Posted: Monday, February 8, 2016
By Uriel J. Garcia
The New Mexican
Santa Fe County sheriff’s deputies have seized records from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe as part of an investigation into allegations that an art teacher at the Santo Niño Regional Catholic School inappropriately touched female students.
Affidavits for search warrants filed Monday in state District Court say deputies took various items Friday from archdiocese offices in Albuquerque as well as the school south of Santa Fe, including files on five students, the teacher’s personnel files, a laptop computer and electronic memory cards.
Criminal complaints filed recently in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court charge Aaron Chavez, 47, with five counts of sexually touching young girls during classes.
The archdiocese said last week that Chavez was placed on administrative leave as a result of the criminal investigation. On Monday, a spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Chavez is currently free on bond, court records show.
Chavez’s lawyer, John Samore, has said his client “denies and will vigorously defend against these allegations.”
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