A San José teacher has been cuffed and thrown in the slammer on charges of getting too up close and personal with an underage student, cops said Monday. Giovanny LaTorre, 28, who taught at ACE Empower Academy, was arrested on March 20 following a tip-off that sparked an investigation leading straight to him.
According to the San José Police Department, the alleged unsettling relationship came to light after officers received a call at 5:52 PM on December 13, 2023 about a potential case of a minor being harassed by an adult male. The tip-off set off a chain of events that would eventually see LaTorre, accused of exchanging inappropriate electronic and handwritten chatter with the student, having to quickly answer to the fuzz.
The disturbing details of the case were collected by detectives from the San José Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, who revealed that LaTorre took advantage of his position to communicate improperly with the girl. Police have yet to release the specific content of these communications or the age of the minor involved, citing an ongoing investigation.
After the investigation culminated in LaTorre's arrest, he was booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail for annoying or molesting a minor. In a silent message to others like him, the Police have asked anyone with information on this case or similar incidents to step forward and contact Detective Camarillo of the ICAC Task Force.
The community is encouraged to report any related information anonymously through the P3TIPS mobile app, the tip line, or the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers website. As an incentive, the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers Program is offering a cash reward for tips leading directly to an arrest. LaTorre's arrest serves as a bleak reminder of the trust placed in educators and the somber responsibility to maintain that trust.
For further information, concerned parties can access the full announcement on the San José Police Department's official website.
