Former Bronx Public Charter School Teacher Pleads Guilty In Connection With Sexual Abuse Of Five Former Students

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JESUS CONCEPCION pled guilty to 10 charges related to his sexual abuse of five minor victims who attended the public charter middle school where CONCEPCION worked. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Jesus Concepcion engaged in a years-long scheme to manipulate, exploit, and sexually abuse young girls at the middle school where he taught.  Concepcion abused his position of trust as the students’ teacher to lull them into a false sense of security and to then exploit them for his own sexual gratification.  This guilty plea is a reminder that the Southern District of New York will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners at the FBI to hold predators like Concepcion to account for their heinous crimes.”   

According to the Superseding Indictment and statements made in court and in public filings:

CONCEPCION was a music teacher and orchestra instructor at a public charter middle school located in the Bronx, New York, (“School-1”) from in or about 2000 up to and including in or about 2007.  During that same time period, CONCEPCION abused his position as a teacher to induce and attempt to induce five of his students (“Minor Victim-1,” “Minor Victim-2,” “Minor Victim-3,” “Minor Victim-4,” and “Minor Victim-5,” and together the “Minor Victims”) to engage in sexual acts.  The Minor Victims were as young as 12 years old at the time of the abuse.

To carry out his sexual abuse of the Minor Victims, CONCEPCION singled out the Minor Victims for personal attention.  He gave them money, clothing, jewelry, and other gifts, and he provided certain Minor Victims with alcohol to facilitate the abuse.  He persuaded the Minor Victims to believe that they were in romantic relationships with him and provided certain Minor Victims with cellphones so that he could communicate with them in secret and to arrange sexual encounters.

CONCEPCION engaged in sexual acts including oral sex and sexual intercourse with Minor Victim-1, Minor Victim-2, Minor Victim-3, and Minor Victim-4 in various locations on multiple occasions, including in School-1’s music room, in the back room of School-1’s auditorium, in his car, at motels, and at his residences.  On numerous occasions, CONCEPCION brought Minor Victims from School-1 or other locations in the Bronx to motels in New Jersey.  On at least one occasion, CONCEPCION engaged in sexual acts with Minor Victim-3 at a New Jersey motel against her will.  In addition, after Minor Victim-1 graduated middle school, CONCEPCION traveled to Minor Victim-1’s high school in Connecticut to have sex with her.

CONCEPCION similarly pursued Minor Victim-5 and sent hundreds of text messages over the course of several months to Minor Victim-5, who was then 13 years old, leading her to believe that they were in a romantic relationship.  CONCEPCION arranged to meet Minor Victim-5 during school hours at School-1 and kissed Minor Victim-5 on the mouth. 

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CONCEPCION, 50, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, pled guilty to a 10-count Superseding Indictment, including five counts of enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.  Counts One through Four each carry a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison and a maximum term of 30 years in prison.  Count Five carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison.  CONCEPCION also pled guilty to four counts of transporting a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.  Counts Six through Nine each carry a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison and a maximum term of 30 years in prison.  CONCEPCION also pled guilty to Count 10, charging him with traveling with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity with a minor, which carries a maximum term of 30 years in prison. 

The statutory minimum and maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the efforts of Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) for their outstanding work in this matter, particularly the FBI-NYPD New York Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. 

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Alexandra S. Messiter, and Jacqueline Kelly are in charge of the prosecution.