Hector Manley Sentenced for Sexually Abusing 20 Children

The sexual abuse felony case in opposition to a fired elementary faculty instructor ended Friday. Hector Castro Manley, 32, was sentenced to 25 years in jail for molesting 20 kids, in accordance with The Naples Day by day Information.

“You tainted my life,” wrote a toddler, amongst three letters that Prosecutor Deborah Cunningham and a Spanish-language translator learn for the court docket in Collier County, Florida. “I by no means thought that an individual may damage one other particular person like that.”

A 1st- and 2nd-grade #Naples instructor is responsible of sexually abusing 20 kids. “You tainted my life,” a toddler survivor mentioned in a letter learn in court docket. “I by no means thought that an individual may damage one other particular person like that.” https://t.co/hxaJONlytY @k_cimini @Rachel_Fradette @ndn

— Laura Greanias (@LauraGreanias) January 21, 2022

Manley pleaded no contest to twenty counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a kid beneath 12, with the youngest of the youngsters being age 6. Meaning he didn’t admit to the fees at hand, however the decide adjudicated him responsible.

He had been fired from Parkside Elementary Faculty in the neighborhood of Naples Manor. It serves this majority Hispanic and Latino space, the place 96 p.c of scholars reportedly got here from economically deprived backgrounds.

Authorities mentioned that Manley, who taught first- and second-grade, engaged in prolific sexual abuse. He molested children throughout soccer apply (he was the coach), in Parkside hallways, in his classroom, and at the same time as he, a wheelchair-bound double amputee, had them sit in his lap.

Incidents occurred between Aug. 15, 2017 and March 1, 2019 earlier than his turned himself in amid allegations. Legal professional Mike Hopkins, and Manley’s adoptive mother and father Don and Karen Manley every declined to remark. As a part of the plea deal, the disgraced former instructor should undergo lifetime intercourse offender registration as soon as he will get out of jail and be on probation with GPS monitoring, although he can go to his start household in El Salvador. He additionally has to pay about $24,000 in court docket charges.

The youngsters’s households agreed to his plea deal with the intention to spare the youngsters from having to testify, Cunningham mentioned.

The varsity district didn’t instantly reply to a Legislation&Crime request for remark.

At the least two mother and father have sued over the abuse, claiming that the Collier County Public Faculty Board was negligent in defending the youngsters.

“There was so many warning indicators, and when you could have these flashing after which have the he sexually assaulted three or 4 little children and they’re advised, I can’t think about why this was instantly investigated,” lawyer Gregg R. Schwartz mentioned in November 2020, in accordance with WINK.

[Jail photo via Collier County Sheriff’s Office]

Have a tip we should always know? [email protected]