This former teacher who was charged with sex crimes involving teens is going to prison

A former Orange Cove High School teacher was sentenced Friday to 16 months in state prison on sex charges involving three minors, including two students who were 15 at the time.

Rigoberto Rangel, 24, was arrested by Orange Cove police in December 2016 on suspicion of sexual misconduct.

Rangel initially was charged with five counts of sexual misconduct, including lewd acts with a juvenile. The first-year Spanish teacher, who was also the boys soccer coach, resigned his job after his arrest.

He pleaded no contest to two counts of molesting a child and one count of showing pornography to a minor, according to court records. Two charges were dropped.

Prosecutor Nicole Galstan said all three victims are female and one was a student in his class. A 17-year-old victim was not a student. Some inappropriate touching occurred, she said.

“He abused his position of trust, he abused his position of authority,” Galstan said. “He is a threat to the community,”

Defense attorney Nicholas Aniotzbehere told the judge his client had no previous criminal record.

“He’s well aware he made a major mistake,” he said.

Fresno COunty Superior Court Judge Jonathan Skiles said it’s true Rangel had no prior criminal record, but “there needs to be some kind of reckoning.”

“I’m not sure most people appreciate the impact these offenses have on the victims,” Skiles said.

A probation department report assessed Rangel at “average” risk of re-offending but not low risk, he said. The probation report recommended 16 months.

Rangel must also register as a sex offender for life.

This story was originally published December 15, 2017 at 10:57 AM with the headline "This former teacher who was charged with sex crimes involving teens is going to prison."