Former CPS Gym Teacher Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Grooming, Sexual Assault of Students
Convicted on Multiple Charges, Including Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault
A former Chicago Public Schools (CPS) gym teacher, Andrew Castro, 38, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for sexually assaulting three of his students. Castro pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including predatory criminal sexual assault of a child under 13, aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child, and exploitation of a child under 13.
Sentence Details
Cook County Judge Domenica Stephenson sentenced Castro to 10 years for the assaults, seven years for each abuse case, and one year for the exploitation charge. With some of the sentences to be served concurrently, the total prison term would be 17 years.
Grooming and Abuse
Castro, who worked as a physical education teacher at Federico Garcia Lorca Elementary in Avondale, formed inappropriate relationships with three of his students, who are related. Two of the boys are brothers, and the third is their cousin. Beginning in 2018, Castro groomed and sexually assaulted the boys, who were 10, 11, and 12 years old at the time.
Grooming Tactics
Castro’s grooming tactics included attending their sporting events, taking them to a mall, and taking them to movies. He also invited the children to his home, where the abuse happened, according to court records. In one instance, he played games with the kids in which the children had to remove their clothes if they lost, and he raped one of the boys.
Discovery of Abuse
The parents did not learn of the abuse until May 2023, when they found out one of the boys was harming himself. Castro was arrested and charged in June 2023.
Targeting Vulnerable Families
Prosecutors say Castro targeted the boys because their parents were immigrants who spoke little English. “While we are happy there has been another significant step toward resolution in this case, there is still a long road of recovery for the abused in this case,” said Larry Disparti, founder of Disparti Law Group, who represented the families.
Civil Settlement
In a related civil case, CPS reached a $2 million settlement with the families last year. The families contended in federal court that CPS did not notify families sufficiently of sexual abuse allegations against Castro that led to his removal in 2021. CPS alerted parents in May 2021 that they had removed Castro from the school after an allegation of sex abuse. However, the school’s letter didn’t name him, so parents of the three abused children, who had befriended Castro, were unaware that he was a threat.
Conclusion
The sentence of Andrew Castro is a significant step towards justice for the victims of his abuse. However, the road to recovery is long and arduous, and the families affected by his actions will continue to face challenges.
FAQs
* How old were the victims when the abuse occurred?
+ The victims were 10, 11, and 12 years old when the abuse occurred.
* How many years was Andrew Castro sentenced to prison?
+ Andrew Castro was sentenced to 17 years in prison.
* What were the charges against Andrew Castro?
+ Andrew Castro was charged with predatory criminal sexual assault of a child under 13, aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child, and exploitation of a child under 13.
