An observant janitor at a Northern California high school is being credited for tipping off police to an alleged inappropriate relationship between a teacher and a student.
According to court documents, the Santa Clara High School janitor noticed Hugo Cortes Guzman, 32, watching an "inappropriate” video with a student. Later, the janitor went into the classroom and found a bra, panties, condoms, a copy of the book "50 Shades of Grey," and a mattress in the classroom and contacted police.
Guzman, a math teacher at the school was arrested on Tuesday.
Thursday was Guzman's first court appearance, where he was charged with unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Prosecutors said he had sex with the student at least four times over the past year, including on one occasion in his Jeep while parked near the girl's house.
Investigators also said they found two letters from Guzman to the student. One of them appears to be written this week from jail. In it, he tells her that his arrest is not her fault and that she should not let the situation get to her.
"I am truly sorry for everything that has happen[ed],"Guzman said in the letter. He also wrote, "I love you more than I lead on. But it was because I knew it was wrong and that this would happen, so it will never be your fault."
Guzman allegedly engaged in sexual activity with one of his students, a 17-year-old female, starting in September 2012 until just days before his arrest, Santa Clara County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Stacey Capps said.
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He was still teaching at Santa Clara High School up until the day of his arrest on Tuesday, Capps said.
According to the school's website, Guzman taught algebra and Advanced Placement statistics.
