For Immediate Release: January 21, 2021 Contact: Matt Baca -- (505) 270-7148 Attorney General Balderas Files Criminal Charges Against School Security Guard

for Sexual Assault of Middle School Student Santa Fe, NM---Attorney General Hector Balderas announced today that his office has filed charges in the Fourth Judicial District against Abran Ulibarri, a former school security guard in the West Las Vegas Public schools, alleging that Ulibarri repeatedly sexually assaulted an eighth-grade student over the course of a school year. The complaint charges Ulibarri with 15 felony counts. Ulibarri was arrested on these charges this morning. “Schools should be the safest place in our communities, and it is tragic that this student was subjected to this treatment by a school employee,” said Attorney General Balderas. “My office will continue to hold accountable anyone who harms a child.” In a related letter to the Secretary of the New Mexico Public Education Department, Attorney General Balderas notified the Department of the matter and encouraged it and legislative leaders to strongly consider immediate reforms to address New Mexico’s chronic concerns of physical harm to students in schools. This case was investigated, in part, by the Office of the Attorney General and will be prosecuted by its Special Prosecutions Division. A copy of the complaint against Ulibarri and the letter to the Public Education Department are attached.

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Matthew Baca

Matthew Baca

STATE OF NEW MEXICO OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL 

 

 

   

HECTOR H. BALDERAS ATTORNEY GENERAL

January 21, 2021

Via Email Secretary Ryan Stewart New Mexico Public Education Department 300 Don Gaspar Avenue Santa Fe, NM 87501 ryan.stewart@state.nm.us Dear Secretary Stewart, Thank you for your stewardship of the Public Education Department during this difficult time. I understand that there are many challenges that our schools across the State are currently facing, and unfortunately many of the problems that have persisted for decades continue to plague them, pandemic or otherwise. I am particularly concerned that our students continue to be at an unacceptable risk of sexual and physical abuse perpetrated by school personnel. I am compelled to write this letter because today my office arrested a middle school security guard who stands accused of sexually assaulting a middle school student several times over the course of a school year. Unfortunately, this is not the first case my office has prosecuted in this context, and each one further emphasizes the need for focused reform in the regulatory oversight of school personnel. Over the course of two legislative sessions, my office attempted to move the Legislature to take immediate steps to address this issue by simply requiring increased reporting of allegations of abuse by school personnel. Each time we were met with resistance, despite having the support of various stakeholders, including victims of these heinous crimes. The New Mexico Public School Insurance Authority also supports simple measures such as these, as the cost in school resources for these acts continues to skyrocket.

TOLL FREE 1-844-255-9210 TELEPHONE: (505) 490-4060 FAX: (505)490-4883 www.nmag.gov MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. DRAWER 1508 - SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO 87504-1508 STREET ADDRESS: 408 GALISTEO STREET - SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO 87501 

In my view, measures such as these should also be complimented by targeted resource allocations within your enforcement and oversight authorities to immediately address allegations of abuse. I support giving your office a multidisciplinary tool comprised of professionals with backgrounds in the areas of law enforcement, social work, and prosecution of these types of cases, to ensure that your agency has the subject matter expertise and means to intervene in these cases swiftly and effectively. I am aware that your office has made recommendations to the legislature for these types of reform, among others, and I urge you to continue to push for these critical changes. My office stands ready to assist in any way that we can, as we work together to ensure the safety of New Mexican students.

Respectfully,

Hector Balderas Attorney General

Cc: Rep. Andres Romero, Chair, House Education Committee

Sen. Bill Soules, Chair, Senate Education Committee Richard Valerio, Executive Director, New Mexico Public School Insurance Authority