Ricardo Vila, a 39-year-old physical education teacher at George Read Middle School, was taken into custody on Monday morning. The arrest followed an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a group led by the Delaware Department of Justice and Delaware State Police.
Attorney General Kathy Jennings stated, “Parents deserve to trust that their children are safe at school, full stop. Any case with a child victim is heinous; cases where the abuser held a position of trust are beyond the pale. Child predators are our priority. We will find them, we will charge them without compromise, and we will bring them to justice.”
Colonel William D. Crotty, Superintendent of the Delaware State Police, commented on the matter saying, “The Delaware State Police remains committed to protecting the community’s most vulnerable members, our children. We commend the Colonial School District for promptly bringing this matter to our attention, allowing law enforcement to take immediate action. This case highlights the crucial collaboration between our detectives and the Delaware Department of Justice in holding offenders accountable. We will continue to work diligently alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure that those who exploit children face justice.”
Vila faces 17 felony charges linked to sexually explicit text messages and social media interactions with an 8th-grade student at his school. The charges include:
- 6 counts of Sexual Solicitation of a Child;
- 6 counts of Promoting Sexual Solicitation of a Child;
- 2 counts of Obscenity;
- 1 count of Enticement for Purposes of Sexual Contact;
- 1 count of Sexual Abuse of a Child by a Person in a Position of Trust Second Degree;
- 1 count of Dangerous Crime against a Child.
While Vila is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, investigators have not identified any additional victims at this time. However, due to his role involving regular contact with children, authorities urge anyone with information related to this case to reach out. Detective Kevin Kelleher can be contacted at (302) 365-8436.