Idaho teacher held on $1 million bond after police say he sexually assaulted a student

Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman

NAMPA (Idaho Statesman) — An Idaho teacher has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting one of his students and is being held at the Canyon County jail.

Juvent Josue Ramirez, 35, of Nampa, who taught at Canyon-Owyhee School Service Agency in Wilder, was charged with two felony counts of sexual battery of a minor child, court records showed. He taught business at the public school cooperative, which provides programs to special education, alternative and career technical students, according to the school’s website.

The Wilder Police Department at 2:10 p.m. Thursday responded to the Canyon-Owyhee School Service Agency Regional Technical Education Center off of Penny Lane in Wilder for a sexual offense call, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by the Idaho Statesman.

When Wilder Police Sgt. Eric Obenchain arrived at the school, Principal Terry Rothamer informed him that a female student reported being inappropriately touched by Ramirez, according to the affidavit written by Obenchain.

The student told police that in September, she’d begun speaking to Ramirez because she was having some family issues and she “thought that she could trust him.” But the student said he made sexual comments to her and inappropriately touched her while in school, according to the affidavit. On one occasion, the student was sitting next to Ramirez when he put his hand between her thighs and touched her vagina, the affidavit said.

“I was scared and my body froze,” the student told police. “I wanted to get out of the seat, but I couldn’t.”

Police were able to confirm the incident through surveillance footage, according to the affidavit. Obenchain wrote that once school ended Thursday, Rothamer and the school’s superintendent were going to meet with Ramirez to place him on administrative leave. Obenchain and Wilder Police Chief Dusty Tveidt were then planning on asking Ramirez to come to the police department.

But when school ended that day, Ramirez left campus as soon as the final bell rang, according to the affidavit. Rothamer called Ramirez to ask him to come back, but Ramirez said he was sick and wouldn’t return. Ramirez declined several requests by police to come to the police department and said that he denied “all the allegations,” according to the affidavit.

He added by text that “whatever ‘video evidence’” police had was being misconstrued.

“I have done nothing wrong and have always acted in the best interest of the students,” Ramirez texted Obenchain, according to the affidavit. “My side of the story is that I deny the allegation.”

Ramirez was arrested Friday at his home in Nampa. He appeared in front of 3rd District Magistrate Judge Ryan Dowell on Monday afternoon and had his bond set at $1 million, court records showed. The next hearing for Ramirez’s case is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. March 4 at the Canyon County Courthouse.

He’s being held at the Canyon County jail, according to online records.

The Wilder Police Department in a news release urged parents to speak with their children about any interactions they might have had with Ramirez, and reach out to authorities if their child might have been victimized. Parents can contact Canyon County Dispatch at (208) 454-7531.