Former Kansas elementary teacher pleads no contest to charges of taking indecent liberties with a child

Jerome Riscovallez, 55, a former Henry Leavenworth Elementary School teacher, avoided trial later this month by entering two pleas of no contest to charges of taking indecent liberties with a child.

Riscovallez’s charges originally involved six victims, but according to the  Leavenworth Times, a plea agreement resulted in the defendant entering no-contest pleas. Judge Gerald Kuckelman accepted the pleas and found Riscovallez guilty of the two counts.

Riscovallez had been a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) teacher in Leavenworth Elementary since 2018, until his firing in February over inappropriate contact with a student.
County Attorney Todd Thompson defended the plea agreement in a news release:

“While no outcome can undo the harm caused, this plea holds the defendant accountable under the law and, most importantly, protects the young victims from the re-traumatization of having to testify in open court. After careful consultation with the families, and with deep respect for their wishes, we believe this resolution strikes the necessary balance between justice and compassion. The safety and dignity of these children remain our highest priority.”
Riscovallez’s sentencing is scheduled for October 10th. The prosecutor will recommend consecutive sentences.