A security guard at a New Mexico middle school has been charged with kidnapping and sexual assault after attacking a teacher in her locked classroom after he forcibly patted her down looking for stolen student money.
According to the Las Cruces Sun-News, Mesa Middle School security officer Tom M. Trujillo, 59, has been charged with first-degree kidnapping, third-degree criminal sexual penetration, bribery of a witness and criminal sexual contact.
According to the report, Trujillo attacked the same teacher two days in a row after he first went into her classroom between classes while following up on a theft complaint from a student. The police affidavit states that Trujillo entered the unidentified teacher's room and went into "police mode," telling the teacher, "I'm gonna have to pat you down."
The teacher told investigators that Trujillo forced her into an isolated area of the classroom where he restrained her against her will and groped her as she begged him to stop. Trujillo is accused of then sexually assaulting her and telling her, "You're going to keep this quiet," with a warning he would return.
The security guard then reportedly returned to the classroom the next day where he groped the woman once again, after which she told a colleague about the attacks.
After being taken intro custody, Trujillo told police investigators that he had groped the woman, but claimed she never said "no'" and described the encounter as "all mutual."
Trujillo is being currently held without bond at the Doña Ana County Detention Center, with prosecutors asking he not be released before his trail date.
