Cherry Creek SD Teacher Pleads Guilty To Sex Assault Of Students

AURORA, CO – The Cherry Creek School District middle school teacher in the center of a student sexual abuse reporting controversy that brought down a principal, administrators and superintendent, pleaded guilty Monday to multiple counts of sexual assault and exploitation of five girls who had been his students.

Brian Vasquez, 35, of Aurora, a former Prairie Middle School social studies teacher, was accused in August, 2017 of inappropriately engaging in sexual contact with his students over five years. He had taught at the middle school since 2011.

Vasquez originally faced 37 counts, but pleaded guilty Monday to three counts of sexual assault on a child by a person in a person of trust, one count of sexual exploitation of a child; one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a child and one count of internet sexual exploitation of child.

"Lesser counts were dropped as part of Vasquez’s plea agreement with prosecutors, which spared the victims having to testify and be cross-examined during trial," a statement from the 18th Judicial District Attorney said.

He faces up to 40 years to life in prison.

In August 2017, one of the victims and her parent reported Vasquez’s actions to the Aurora Police Department. But much earlier, in 2013, a victim had come forward to complain about Vasquez to Prairie Middle School Principal David Gonzales, Assistant Principal Adrienne "A.J." MacIntosh and Cheryl Somers-Wegienka, a January, 2018 indictment said. The three administrators failed to report earlier allegations made by a student to authorities that Vasquez had sent her texted pictures of his genitals and demanded nude photos of her. The principal reportedly scolded the student for complaining, claimed she was lying and said she would "ruin Vasquez's career" and hurt his family. The indictment, filed by the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office, said the student was even forced to apologize and hug Vasquez at the end of a meeting with her parents, the teacher and administrators.

In January, Superintendent Harry Bull retired from the district, citing health concerns. But parents had criticized him for the Vasquez incident as well as another sexual abuse scandal the year before. In the other instance, the district quietly fired security guard, 29-year-old Broderick Lundie, the son of a district principal, who was convicted of sending sexually explicit images of himself to a Grandview High School student.

Principal Gonzales and Assistang Principal MacIntosh were put on administrative leave, but are still listed as administrators on the school website.

Vasquez faces sentencing on September 28, the DA's office said.

Image Brian Vasquez, via 18th District Attorney's Office

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