EspañolSteven Pilar, Former Teacher At San Gabriel Valley Elementary School, Indicted On Child Pornography Charges
LA PUENTE, CALIFORNIA (August 31, 2024) – A former elementary school teacher in La Puente identified as Steven Pilar was arrested on child pornography charges.
The defendant has been charged with two counts of receiving child pornography and two counts of possession, according to the LA U.S. Attorney’s Office. He was indicted in July and arrested in Las Vegas early in August.
Steven Pilar was sent to jail without bond. He allegedly used a file-sharing service to knowingly receive over 400 videos that depict child sexual abuse material.
This allegedly took place between February and April 2020. During this period, Steven Pilar taught at a La Puente elementary school.
He faces a minimum of five years in federal prison if convicted on the charges.
Liability For Los Angeles County Child Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse remains alarmingly common across the United States. According to the National Education Association, “there were 14,938 incidents of sexual violence in K–12 schools in 2017 – 2018 compared with 9,649 in 2015 – 2016, representing a 55 percent increase. These include incidents of rape or attempted rape and sexual assault.” Schools should take a number of measures in order to prevent student sexual abuse.
- Schools should thoroughly vet all teachers and employees.
- Schools should have clear guidelines and policies related to appropriate conduct.
- Schools should have clear reporting mechanisms for misconduct.
It is illegal for any person in California to knowingly receive or possess child sexual abuse material, according to California Penal Code – PEN § 311. As outlined in People v. Cantrell, 7 Cal. App. 4th 523, child sexual abuse material is that which “depicts a person under the age of 18 years personally engaging in or personally simulating sexual conduct.” Depending on the facts of any case, a school could face civil liability for child sexual abuse material involving their students.
Schools have a legal obligation to protect students from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm, including sexual abuse and exploitation. Consider, for example, Taylor v. Oakland Scavenger Co., 17 Cal. 2d 594 [110 P.2d 1044], “It is the duty of the school authorities to supervise at all times the conduct of the children on the school grounds and to enforce those rules and regulations necessary to their protection.” It is important that victims of sexual abuse and exploitation take certain steps to protect their rights.
- A police report of the incident should be created.
- Medical records related to any assault should be collected.
- Evidence related to the misconduct should be preserved.
- The actions that school officials took (or failed to take) should be understood.
Sexual abuse is one of the most harmful experiences that children can go through. It has far-reaching implications for their health and development. By the time any school teacher is arrested for sexual abuse or related crimes, there are often numerous red flags that are missed. Teachers are supposed to report all reasonably suspected instances of child abuse, but in far too many situations this does not take place.
Investigating Los Angeles County Child Sexual Abuse
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP were deeply concerned to hear about the charges against Steven Pilar. There needs to be a thorough investigation into all of the allegations. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to the Los Angeles County U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Have you or someone that you care about been the victim of child sexual abuse? You may have legal recourse. Our team of child sexual abuse attorneys is here for you. We are committed to helping abuse victims understand their rights and holding perpetrators and school districts accountable for their misconduct. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
