Thread: N.J.: Janitor accused of sexually assaulting student at priv

Janitor accused of sexually assaulting student at private school
by Robert Stern/The TimesThursday January 24, 2008, 8:20 PM

PRINCETON TOWNSHIP -- A 14-year-old student at The Hun School of Princeton was sexually assaulted inside a classroom at the elite private school by a janitor who is in the country illegally, township police announed Thursday.

The suspect, Erickson Isai Pretzintzin-Suchi, 24, of Trenton, was arrested Wednesday on charges of sexual assault, criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child when he showed up for work at the school at 4 p.m. that day, according to police.

The sexual assault allegedly happened last Friday, Jan. 18, around 5:45 p.m., police said.

But law-enforcement authorities did not learn of the incident until Tuesday, when Hun School officials notified township police they had just received information about a student having been sexually assaulted by a janitor four days earlier.


The assailant, who worked under the alias Geovani Villagran, wasn't employed directly by the school but rather by one of its subcontractors, Detective Sgt. Ernie Silagyi said.

Silagyi said Pretzintzin-Suchi, who is being held at the Mercer County Correction Center on $250,000 cash bail, is of Hispanic background but that he did not know his nationality.

After taking him into custody, police suspected that Pretzintzin-Suchi could be in the country illegally and alerted the federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about his arrest, Silagyi said.

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I hope the parents of the girl sues the school blind

The assailant, who worked under the alias Geovani Villagran, wasn't employed directly by the school but rather by one of its subcontractors, Detective Sgt. Ernie Silagyi said.

Sorry, AirborneSapper7, but I think that this is how the school will get off of the hook. I fear that the "contactor" that supplied the janitor will probably be hard to find.

I agree with you in thinking that the school should be liable. The school should insure that even though they hire through an agency they should check the records of the poeole that are sent to them and require a background check of people that are allowed access to the children.

BUT

This is the shell game that the farmers, companies and it seems schools are using. They hire a "contractor that supplies them with workers so they don't get their skirts dirty.

I disagree ... the school can in turn sue the contractor; letting the school off the hook is not the answer. When children are sent to school we expect them to be protected (without exception).... the school is responcible as well as the contractor and all should pay for thier part of the pie

The school will not get off the hook that easily.

Legally, the school has a duty to know who it employees at that location irrespective of what agreement it has with any third party, outside staffing agency. The school cannot contract that duty away.

At the least, there could be some contributory negligence here on part of the school.

I believe as difficult as it may be, victims of violenet crime where the crime was committed by an illegal invader need to start exercising their legal rights and bring suit against the city, counties, states, and even federal gov who have a duty to protect those citizens for which they have sworn to protect.

It's difficult to bring suit against the government, but it may change the thinking if some of thses officials were held liable for thier failure to protect the citizens of this country.

I agree with Sapper and nobueno that the school should be accountable. I will be interested to see what tactic the school's lawyers use to try to get out of the liability.

Many businesses think that hiring through a "contractor" protects them from being held accountable for hiring illegals and the actions of the illegals that they hire. Unfortunately, they are getting away with it. I simply have lost faith in the court system.

As an example;

I have a friend whose family owns a farm in Georgia. Many of the farmers pay a "contactor" that shows up with the day laborors who then pays the workers, usually in cash. I question if these "contractors" could be found if anything goes wrong. It is the same deal for cleaning crews in office buildings and many other labor jobs. Many of these contractors are as itinerant as the workers that they provide

I really would like to see this school get burned in the pocketbook for this, they deserve it. Most schools have closed campuses for the protection of the students. That this school would allow an employee of another company access to the campus without a background check is, in my opinion for what it is worth, criminal.

Taking the school's money will hurt them in the only way they will understand. The innocence of the child that was molested is gone forever and the trama of the disgusting act will always remain.

kept at $250G in Hun School sex assault
by Linda Stein/The Times
Wednesday January 30, 2008, 10:10 AM
A judge kept bail at $250,000 Wednesday for an illegal immigrant accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl at the Hun School on Jan. 18 in Princetown Township.

Geovani Villagran, who also is called Erickson Isai Pretzintzin-Suchi, is charged with sexual assualt, criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child, said Assistant Prosecutor Stacey Geurds. Villagran, who was working as a janitor at the school, allegedly assualted the girl in a classroom, Geurds said. The girl was interviewed by the police and detectives from the prosecutor's office and identifed Villagran as her attacker, Geurds said. After Villagran was arrested, he allegedly gave a statement to police admitting that he had sex with the student.

Villagran also is being held on a federal warrant as an illegal alien, Geurds said.
Defense lawyer Michael Amantia told Superior Court Judge Charles A. Delehey that although his client cannot be released because of the federal warrant, nonetheless the bail on the sex assualt charge was too high.

Delehey disagreed, saying, "The court is entirely satisfied the present bail is appropriate." He also ordererd Villagran to have no contact with the girl or any child under 16 if he should be released.

Contact Linda Stein

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Immigrant sentenced in student sex crime
Friday, October 03, 2008 BY LINDA STEIN
A former custodian at the Hun School of Princeton was sentenced to five years in prison yesterday for having sexual relations with a 14-year-old student.

Erickson Pretzintzin-Suchi, 24, an illegal immigrant, will be re turned to Guatemala after he is re leased from prison, Superior Court Judge Charles A. Delehey said.

Pretzintzin-Suchi admitted in May that he had sexual relations with the girl Jan. 18, pleading guilty to sexual assault.

Pretzintzin-Suchi, who also uses the name Giovani Villagram, had worked as a janitor at the school but was an employee of Sky-Hi Custodial Services in Butler. He was at the Hun School about two weeks before the incident.

While he is expected to be de ported after he serves his sentence, Pretzintzin-Suchi was previously ordered deported in Texas but fled to New Jersey instead.

Pretzintzin-Suchi said he was grateful to have a second chance.

"Anyone can make a mistake," he said. "I'm in agreement I have to spend time in jail, but not five years." He has already been in cus tody for 253 days, Delehey said.

Delehey also imposed a $2,000 fine and ordered Pretzintzin-Suchi to have no contact with the girl or the Hun School. Megan's Law reporting will also apply, Delehey said.

A psychological report showed that Pretzintzin-Suchi is not a repetitive or compulsive offender, Delehey said.

After the guilty plea, the victim's father contacted The Times and said he is very unhappy Pretzintzin-Suchi was not given a longer prison sentence. The maxi mum for the charge would have been 10 years.

"I feel like we've been raped again because of the sentence," he said

But Assistant Prosecutor Sta cey Geurds defended the sentence, calling it an "appropriate resolution."

The victim's parents were not in the courtroom yesterday.

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