A former Hampton-Dumont girls’ soccer coach and paraeducator originally charged with having a sexual relationship with a student has filed a written guilty plea to a lesser charge. 29-year-old Ismael Rodriguez Torres was originally charged with sexual exploitation by a school employee, a class “D” felony, when he was arrested in January of 2023. Rodriguez Torres later learned that an earlier plea deal could have seen him deported given his immigration status and a guilty plea in a sex crime would move him higher on the list for deportation. He has been in custody of federal immigration authorities.
Rodriguez Torres entered a written guilty plea to a charge of assault causing mental distress, which is a serious misdemeanor. However, as part of this plea deal, the parties will jointly recommend that he receive the minimum fine with surcharges and court costs, will receive a sentence of 360 days with credit for time served and all time suspended, and placed on two years of supervised probation.
The judge in this case is not bound by the plea agreement, and a plea hearing has been set for February 24th.
