A former assistant principal at Sunrise Middle School in San Jose, Ruben Guzman, 32, has been indicted on federal sex trafficking charges. The indictment follows his arrest on February 3, which was part of a broader operation by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Task Force leading up to the February 8 Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
Guzman was one of 29 suspects apprehended during actions by the task force. A federal grand jury indicted him on charges of attempted sex trafficking of a minor and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. The indictment specifically alleges that Guzman attempted to engage in a commercial sex act with a person he believed to be under the age of 14, and also attempted to engage in sexual activities with a person he believed to be under 18.
The San Jose Police Department had previously announced Guzman’s arrest, stating that he communicated with an officer who was posing as a teen boy. According to the department, 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."
School officials confirmed that Guzman was separated from his position at the county-chartered middle school, located on Julian Street in downtown San Jose, immediately following his arrest. Administrators at Sunrise Middle School had previously stated that the allegations against Guzman did not involve the campus or its students and affirmed the school’s full cooperation with the investigation. Teresa Robinson, the school's director, issued a statement to the media, emphasizing that "Our immediate priority was student safety." She added that the individual was removed from campus promptly, ensuring no further contact with students, and that the school had provided age-appropriate discussions with students, communicated with families, and made counseling support available on campus.
His prosecution is the result of a joint investigation conducted by the FBI and the San Jose Police Department. Guzman has been remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila for ongoing proceedings.
If convicted on these charges, Guzman faces severe penalties. Both counts carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. Specifically, attempted sex trafficking of a minor carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, while attempted coercion and enticement of a minor carries a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence. Additionally, Guzman could face a fine of up to $250,000.
