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Educator Sexual Abuse

Published on: October 13, 2017 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

The Need for Mandatory Predator Identification Training

Educator sexual abuse is a problem that could be alleviated with prevention training. Currently, the law requires school employees to receive child abuse training within the first six weeks of each school year. Educators may satisfy their training requirements at www.mandatedreporterca.com. However, the training portal fails to address the prevention of educator child sexual abuse by neglecting to provide training to identify the grooming of children.

Although the law is a good first step, much more needs to be done to prevent the type of child sexual abuse seen in both the Morgan Hill Unified School District and the Evergreen Unified School District.

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Sexual Abuse Charges Filed Against Dartmouth Middle School Music Teacher Samuel Neipp

Published on: October 12, 2017 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

San Jose Dartmouth Middle School teacher Samuel Neipp is facing numerous sexual abuse charges following his arrest. Allegations include using his position of authority to molest at least two students and of the blackmail of one of the students. He allegedly threatened to post nude photographs of the 13-year-old girl unless she kept the sexual abuse a secret.

Samuel Neipp allegedly molested the two girls over a number of years starting when they were both 13. One of the victims is now 16. The other victim is 20. She alleges that the abuse by Samuel Neipp lasted for about two years.

Educator Sexual Misconduct

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Protecting Sexually Abused Kids from Revictimization

Published on: September 20, 2017 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

The California legislature has adjourned for the 2017 year, taking action on a critical bill affecting child sexual abuse victims. New legislation sets time limits on psychological examinations or “psyche exams” on child sex abuse victims in civil lawsuits. Currently, there are no time limits. The law also mandates that a licensed therapist with experience in child abuse and trauma conduct the exam.

Attorney Robert Allard and the Cerri, Boskovich & Allard legal team, which represents child molestation victims, lobbied for the legislation after witnessing the revictimization of sexually abused children in civil cases by a defendant’s paid expert.

As an example, Mr. Allard provided details of a psychological examination that crossed the line and re-traumatized children. The civil lawsuit was against a San Jose daycare center. Three little girls between the ages of 5 and seven were sexually molested by Keith Woodhouse while attending a San Jose daycare. During the police investigation, Woodhouse admitted the crime. These girls had to relate the details of their molestation to investigating police officers, the District Attorney, the court and to the defendants in their civil lawsuit during their videotaped depositions. Even with all the recorded testimony available, the defendants moved to compel an examination of each girl by both a psychologist and psychiatrist for more than four hours. During the examination, the psychiatrist went into great depth into the details of the abuse causing each of these little girls severe emotional distress.

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Charter School Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Settles for $1.2 Million

Published on: September 15, 2017 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

As students head back to school, the San Jose law firm of Cerri, Boskovich & Allard is reminding parents about the dangers of sexual abuse by educators. back-to-school The firm is announcing a $1.2 million settlement in a sexual abuse lawsuit filed against a San Jose charter school.

The case involved a high school teacher who sexually abused one of his students and a principal who was directly and expressly notified about the illegal relationship but did not notify the authorities as required by law, instead choosing to investigate himself.

The California mandatory reporting law mandates that an educator report to the authorities any time he or she entertains a reasonable suspicion of sexual abuse. That was not done here. Instead, it took a complaint from a concerned parent to trigger involvement by the police which promptly resulted in an arrest.

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Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Filed Against New Haven Unified School District

Published on: August 1, 2017 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

New Haven Unified accused of ignoring numerous sexual abuse “red flags”

The New Haven Unified School District (Alameda County Superior Court, Case #17868000) is facing a third sexual abuse lawsuit resulting from the molestation of several elementary school children by former teacher Michael Howey. Howey entered a guilty plea to sex abuse charges, including the plaintiff in this lawsuit, and is now serving a lengthy prison term for his crimes.

Michael Howey, New Haven Unified School District

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Ronald Guinto Boy Scouts Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

Published on: June 6, 2017 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

Sexual abuse lawsuit names the Boys Scouts of America’s local representative, the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council [“SVMBC”], and Willow Glen-based Lincoln Glen Church.

In representing a young sexual abuse victim, our lawsuit alleges that the named entities failed to properly supervise convicted child molester Ronald Guinto. As a result, a then ten-year-old Boy Scout was sexually abused.

The lawsuit claims that in March of 2008, Ronald Guinto contacted the SVMBC and asked if he could volunteer with a Boy Scout pack near his San Jose home. Despite no history with the Boy Scouts nor any wilderness training experience, Guinto was able to obtain a volunteer position with a group of 9 to 11-year-old boys. Within a few months, Guinto achieved a leadership position as Webelos Den Leader for Pack 220. That position gave him the ability to plan and carry out overnight campouts and outdoor activities.

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Morgan Hill Unified School District Will Pay $8.25 Million to Child Molestation Victims

Published on: May 8, 2017 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

As part of the $8.25 million settlement with three child sex abuse victims, the Morgan Hill Unified School District is also moving forward in implementing and supporting programs aimed at preventing the sexual abuse of students.

The law firm of Cerri, Boskovich & Allard announced that the Morgan Hill Unified School District agreed to pay $8.25 million to three then-elementary school students sexually abused by former teacher John Loyd. At the same time, complying with the wishes of the victims’ parents, the district is also moving forward to carry out child sexual abuse prevention programs.

The agreement was reached as jury selection was about to start in the sexual abuse lawsuit (case #115CV285795 – Santa Clara County Superior Court) against the school district. The three children were represented by attorneys Robert Allard, Lauren Cerri, Ken Turek, and Christopher Schumb.

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Megan’s Law Loopholes

Published on: January 30, 2017 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

According to California’s Sex Offender Management Board, the number of sex offenders on the Megan’s Law website is nearly 17,000 less than than the number of registered sex offenders in the state. That’s because Megan’s Law exempts some registered sex offenders, including those convicted of sexual battery or a misdemeanor charge of annoying or molesting a child. The law also provides for exclusions of other sex offenses as long as they don’t involve “oral copulation or penetration.”

In the case of Robert Adams, he pleaded no contest to charges that he allegedly molested six girls. But by entering into a plea agreement, the felony charges were dropped in exchange for Adams pleading no contest to six counts of misdemeanor child molestation. Part of Adams’ plea agreement was that he register as a sex offender for life. Adams has reportedly registered with Folsom police as a sex offender. However, the information kept by the police is not available to the public.

When it comes to the state’s public database of sex offenders, Megan’s Law only requires registration of serious and violent sex offenders. The Megan’s Law website is intended to make the public aware of sex offenders by posting their pictures and home addresses online.

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Female Teachers Arrested for Sexually Abusing Male Students

Published on: January 24, 2017 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

Two female teachers, one in Fremont and the other in San Jose, are both facing sex abuse charges alleging inappropriate sexual contact with male students.

On Thanksgiving Day 2016, Washington High School PE teacher Corine Audiat was arrested for unlawful sex acts with a minor. Corine Audiat is also known as Cory Audiat.

In early December, Trudy Hill, an English teacher at Santa Teresa High School, was arrested on charges of sending harmful matter to a minor and oral copulation with a minor. Hill is the fourth East Side Union High School District employee to be accused of sexual misconduct with a student in 2016. Hill, along with James Lick interim vice principal Juan Gonzalez, Mt. Pleasant High School assistant track coach Enoch Garcia, and Independence High School wrestling coach Marc Alquiza are all facing charges.

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John Loyd

Published on: November 2, 2016 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

John Loyd is serving a 40-year prison sentence for sexually molesting four fifth-grade girls. His victims ranged in age from 9 to 11 years old. Three of the children were molested at Paradise Valley Elementary School during a three-year period from 2012-2014. And the fourth victim was molested from 2003 to 2004.

Based on the predatory nature of the crimes that occurred we believe there may be other victims that need help.

John Loyd was born and raised in San Jose, graduating from Mt. Pleasant High School in 1980. He appears to have worked at:

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