Former Vineland, NJ Teacher Guilty of Sexually Assaulting Student

A jury found Isaias Garza guilty of sexually assaulting a 6th-grade student between 2004 and 2005
Garza also attempted to bribe the victim to lie to investigators, officials say
He faces several years in prison when sentenced in January

Former Vineland Teacher Convicted in Decades-old Assault Case

A former teacher in Cumberland County is now facing several years in prison after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a student 20 years ago.

On Friday, a jury found 57-year-old Isaias Garza of Vineland guilty of second-degree sexual assault and second-degree witness tampering.

MORE NEWS: Vineland Man Arrested in Child Luring Case

Evidence Presented of Abuse From 2004–2005

The Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office says during the trial, the State presented evidence that Garza sexually assaulted the victim (identified as "R.H.") on multiple occasions between 2004 and 2005 when he was a 6th-grade student at the ExCEL school in Bridgeton, where Garza was a teacher.

Authorities also presented evidence that Garza tampered with "R.H." by offering him money and other benefits to lie to investigators about the abuse after an investigation into the allegations was opened in 2018.

Additional charges involving "R.H." and a second victim, "I.H.," were dismissed before the return of this verdict.

Pattanaphong Khuankaew

MORE NEWS: 4-year-old Hit by Pickup Truck in Vineland

Sentencing Scheduled for January

The State's application for post-verdict detention was denied and sentencing is scheduled for January 30th.

Garza faces five to ten years in prison for the sexual assault conviction and a mandatory consecutive five to ten-year prison term for the witness tampering conviction.

This matter was investigated by the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office, the Bridgeton Police Department, and the New Jersey State Police. The prosecution was represented at trial by Cumberland County Assistant Prosecutors Lesley Snock and Brianne Malone. The defendant was represented by Kevin McCann, Esq.

Accused NJ sex predator teachers, school staff this year and last

A number of teachers, coaches and school staff around New Jersey have been arrested in 2024 and this year for a range of sexual offenses.

Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt

The Best & Worst States for Teachers

It's back to school time!

Teachers and administrators all over the country are welcoming students back either in person or virtually. This will definitely be a challenging year being in person due to COVID cases and protocols that need to be in place to keep everyone safe.

Being a teacher is a huge responsibility. It can be very stressful, and sometimes that depends on the district where the teacher is employed. There are actually some states that are not that great for teachers.

Wallethub put together a list of the best and worst states for teachers. They look at things like opportunities for employment, competition, academics and work environments.

Gallery Credit: Tiffanywpst