CCSD teacher assistant admits to ‘loving relationship’ with student

The Clark County School District teacher assistant arrested amid allegations of inappropriate contact with a minor told police she had a loving relationship with a high school student in which the two would make out and fondle each other over their clothes, according to an arrest report.

Jerusalem Garcia, 20, was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on Aug. 23 on one count of contacting or attempting to contact a minor for sex. Garcia had been a specialized program teacher assistant at Eldorado High School since 2021.

She has since been placed on leave, according to CCSD Police Lt. Bryan Zink. At the time, Zink told the Review-Journal there was “no indication of sexual contact.”

But the arrest report shows that Garcia and the student went on several dates, in which they made out in secluded spaces. Garcia admitted to being aroused to the point of wanting to have sex, but she did not because of the student’s age, according to police.

The investigation came from an anonymous student tip, and both the student and Garcia admitted to the relationship, according to the arrest report.

The student told police he had been in a three-month relationship with Garcia.

They originally met at a party on May 26, where they exchanged Instagram and began using the platform to communicate, according to police.

The student told police they had been on around 12 or 15 dates. Their first date was at the Galleria mall in early June, and their latest scheduled date was in the second week of August at Sam’s Town Casino, according to police. He picked up Garcia at her residence because she did not have access to a car, according to police.

The two would find secluded locations to make out on most of the dates, according to police.

“Garcia knew when (the student) became aroused because he seductively grabbed her buttocks by squeezing them with his hands,” police wrote in the report. “Garcia would allow this to happen until she became aroused and in the mood for sex. She then would have urges to have sexual intercourse with (the student) but refrained due to (the student)’s age,” according to the arrest report.

The two would lie in a bed together as well, where police said they would cuddle and rub each other’s backs and shoulders.

Garcia had sent the student text messages such as: “I love you,” “I’m scared of the relationship” and “I’ll stick with you forever.”

Garcia told police she was in a “loving relationship” with the student. Even after she was told she was being arrested, police said, Garcia wanted to pursue a relationship with him. Police said she was Instagram messaging him after giving her witness statement.

Garcia was aware that the student was under age and was enrolled at Eldorado High School, where she also worked, according to police. The student’s age is redacted from the arrest report.

Contact Katie Futterman at kfutterman@reviewjournal.com.