Former Bronx Public Charter School Teacher Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For Sexual Abuse Of Five Former Students

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JESUS CONCEPCION was sentenced to 30 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska in connection with his sexual abuse of five minor victims who had been his students. CONCEPCION previously pled guilty to five counts of child enticement, four counts of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity, and one count of travel with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity with a minor.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: "Today, Jesus Concepcion was sentenced to decades in prison for his horrific exploitation of children placed into his care as students. The victims of these crimes have waited almost twenty years for Concepcion to be held accountable for the devastating harm and trauma he inflicted on them and their families. Today's sentencing is a reminder that it is never too late for justice to be served and that the Southern District of New York will work tirelessly to protect children from abuse and exploitation."

According to the Superseding Indictment and statements made in court and public filings:

CONCEPCION was a music teacher and orchestra instructor at a public charter middle school located in the Bronx, New York ("School-1") from in or about 2000 up to and including in or about 2007. During that same period, CONCEPCION abused his position as a teacher to induce and attempt to induce five of his students ("Minor Victim-1," "Minor Victim-2," "Minor Victim-3," "Minor Victim-4," and "Minor Victim-5," and together the "Minor Victims") to engage in sexual acts. The Minor Victims were as young as 12 years old at the time of the abuse.

To carry out his sexual abuse of the Minor Victims, CONCEPCION singled out the Minor Victims for personal attention; he gave them money, clothing, jewelry, and other gifts, and he provided certain Minor Victims with alcohol to facilitate the abuse. He persuaded the Minor Victims to believe that they were in romantic relationships with him and provided certain Minor Victims with cellphones so that he could communicate with them to arrange sexual encounters.

CONCEPCION engaged in sexual acts including, oral and vaginal sex, with Minor Victim-1, Minor Victim-2, Minor Victim-3, and Minor Victim-4 in various locations on multiple occasions, including in School-1's music room, in the back room of School-1's auditorium, in his car, at motels, and at his residences. On numerous occasions, CONCEPCION brought Minor Victims from School-1 or other locations in the Bronx to motels in New Jersey to sexually abuse them. On at least one occasion, after Minor Victim-1 graduated from middle school, CONCEPCION traveled to Minor Victim-1's high school in Connecticut to have sexual intercourse with her. CONCEPCION also paid, on multiple occasions, for Minor Victim-2 to travel from her high school in Pennsylvania to visit him in New York, where he had sexual intercourse with her. To continue his abuse, CONCEPCION threatened to physically harm Minor Victim-3 and her family if she told anyone about his sexual abuse of her and her younger sister, Minor Victim-4.

CONCEPCION similarly pursued Minor Victim-5 and sent hundreds of text messages over the course of several months to Minor Victim-5, who was then 13 years old, leading her to believe that they were in a romantic relationship. CONCEPCION arranged to meet Minor Victim-5 during school hours at School-1 and kissed Minor Victim-5 on the mouth. The abuse stopped only after Minor Victim-5's parents discovered CONCEPCION's communications and reported him.

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In addition to the prison term, CONCEPCION, 51, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release and ordered to pay a total of $1000 in assessments and restitution in an amount to be determined.

Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI") and the New York City Police Department ("NYPD") for their outstanding work in this matter, particularly the FBI-NYPD New York Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

This case is being handled by the Office's General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Alexandra S. Messiter, and Jacqueline Kelly are in charge of the prosecution.

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