A former Bridgeton, N.J., public school teacher was convicted Friday of sexually assaulting a male student around 20 years ago and later offering him money to lie about the abuse, officials said.
Isaias Garza, 57, of Vineland, was accused of sexually assaulting the victim, identified only as R.H., multiple times between 2004 and 2005, the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office said in a news release.
When the abuse started, R.H. was a sixth grader in the Bridgeton Public Schools’ ExCEL program — a highly selective learning program emphasizing academic rigor, character development and community engagement — where Garza served as a head teacher.
Garza was initially arrested in October 2018 and charged with sexually assaulting R.H. and another minor, I.H., described by local media as the victim’s brother. Authorities said the abuse began when both boys were younger than 13.
During the trial, which began on Sept. 19, prosecutors presented evidence that Garza sexually assaulted R.H. on multiple occasions and bribed him with “money and other benefits” to lie to detectives after an investigation into the allegations was opened in 2018.
The now-fired veteran teacher, who worked at the school from 1995 until his suspension and ultimate firing after the case became public, has denied the accusations against him.
On Friday, a Cumberland County jury agreed with prosecutors and found Garza guilty of sexual assault and witness tampering/bribery.
Additional charges involving R.H. and I.H. were dismissed before Friday’s verdict, the prosecutor’s office said.
Garza is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 30, 2026. He faces between five and 10 years in prison for each charge.
