A former East Palo Alto city support aide accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy has taken a plea bargain and faces up to three years and eight months in prison. Rafael Prado, 29, remains jailed without bail, with sentencing scheduled for Aug. 21.
Prado allegedly met the boy while working in East Palo Alto and later sent him a photo of his genitals, according to Palo Alto Daily Post. Prosecutors said the relationship became sexual and that Prado introduced the boy to drugs, including methamphetamine and cocaine.
The Case Has Already Seen Major Charge Changes
The case had already shifted before Wednesday’s plea. The Almanac reported that prosecutors revised their view of the boy’s age when the alleged abuse began, changing it from 13 to 14 and reducing Prado’s potential maximum sentence from 12 years to five years and three months.
Prado worked as an on-call, part-time support aide for the city, helping with community outreach, COVID-19 vaccination clinics and office tasks rather than working as a library employee. He stopped working for East Palo Alto on April 2, 2025, and the city was notified of his arrest two months later, according to the Daily Post’s account.
The Case Also Sparked A City Hall Fight
The criminal case became a political problem for East Palo Alto after Councilmember Carlos Romero wrote a character reference for Prado on city letterhead while asking a judge to consider lowering his bail. The city’s official council roster still lists Romero as a sitting councilmember.
Mayor Webster Lincoln and Councilmember Mark Dinan called for Romero’s resignation and questioned the city’s hiring process, The Almanac reported. Romero said he wrote the letter after Prado’s mother called him in tears and defended his decision by pointing to the presumption of innocence.
With the plea entered, the case now moves toward sentencing rather than trial. Prado is expected to remain in custody until the Aug. 21 hearing, when a judge will determine the punishment under the agreement.
