A Colorado Springs special-education behavior tutor who rotated through schools in Academy District 20 is now at the center of a criminal investigation, after police say they uncovered child sexual abuse material tied to him. The arrest has rattled families across the district, where the employee had access to students at multiple campuses during his brief tenure.
According to the Colorado Springs Police Department, members of the department’s Internet Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Unit arrested 33-year-old Theodore Mendoza on April 9 on an arrest warrant alleging possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. Police say Mendoza was taken into custody without incident, and officers executed a search warrant at his residence near the University of Colorado Colorado Springs campus to recover additional evidence.
Where He Worked
In a notice sent to parents, Academy District 20 said Mendoza worked at 16 district locations from Aug. 25 through Feb. 12 as a special-education behavior tutor. That role gave him access to students at several schools, including Air Academy High School, Rampart High School, Discovery Canyon Campus and Aspen Valley High School, among others. The district notice did not say whether his alleged conduct was connected to his departure from the district, as reported by the Colorado Springs Gazette.
Court Hearing and Background
Mendoza appeared before El Paso County Judge Douglas Miles to be advised of his rights. At that hearing, the judge described the evidence as "very strong" and set bond at $150,000, which had not been posted as of early Friday evening.
Mendoza’s LinkedIn page, cited in reporting, lists him as an "SSN paraeducator" with D-20 from October 2024 until January and shows he later worked as a program support coordinator with the Griffith Centers, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette.
What’s Next
The Colorado Springs Police Department, which leads the statewide Internet Crimes Against Children task force, says the investigation remains active. Detectives are conducting a forensic analysis of devices seized during the search, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department. District officials are fielding questions from parents while the courts and prosecutors sort out the next legal steps in the case.
