Following an inquiry that revealed he had sent hundreds of sexually explicit communications to a female student, a former student teacher at Sherwood High School was sentenced to three years in jail on Tuesday.
25-year-old Mason Isaiah Dominguez entered a guilty plea to charges of enticing a kid and trying to employ a youngster in a sexually explicit exhibition.
Dominguez was punished by Washington County Circuit Judge Janelle F. Wipper, who also mandated that he register as a sex offender.
In April 2023, another student informed Sherwood High’s faculty that Dominguez was sending her messages on social media, which is against school regulations. This led to the discovery of the behavior. Prosecutors claim that Dominguez was fired and escorted off school premises after confessing to sending the messages when confronted by school officials.
Prosecutors claim that another girl came forward the next day, claiming that Dominguez had sent her explicit videos and pictures of himself and requested her to do the same. The two had also exchanged hundreds of messages on social media.
The case was looked into by a Sherwood police school resource officer. According to the district attorney’s office, Dominguez first denied any involvement but later acknowledged the behavior once the obscene texts, images, and videos were found on his phone.
According to a victim impact statement delivered at the sentencing court, the student claimed that she suffered from long-lasting trauma as a result of the conduct of a staff member who was meant to be her teacher and a trusted adult in her life and who had violated all boundaries.
Prior to the punishment, Dominguez had been residing in Washington state with his parents. Court documents show that he had no prior criminal history. Following the sentencing, he was placed under arrest.
Dominguez’s attorney, Mark C. Cogan, stated that the three-year sentence was the outcome of a negotiated plea.
Even while Cogan agreed to his client’s plea deal, he stated that some criminals who have committed non-contact crimes against juveniles face worse penalties than those who have sexually abused them.
— Maxine Bernstein writes about criminal justice and federal courts. You can contact her via [email protected], 503-221-8212, X@maxoregonian, or LinkedIn.
Your support is essential to our journalism. Sign up for OregonLive.com now.
Stories by
Maxine Bernstein
-
DOJ lawyer critical of delay, scope of investigations into Portland police supervisors who mismanaged force used in 2020 protests
-
9th Circuit upholds Oregon s law restricting secret recordings in Project Veritas case
-
Disability Rights Oregon asks judge to hold state in contempt for delay in admissions to psychiatric hospital
-
Man who racked up pile of Portland parking tickets loses challenge to towing
-
Here s the status of Jan. 6 prosecutions against Oregon, Washington protesters
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
