Taylor & Ring Files Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Against Salinas Union High School District
Taylor & Ring is representing a 15-year-old boy in a sexual abuse case against the Salinas Union High School District; the boy’s former school counselor Gilbert Olivares; and Mr. Olivares’ former employer, Sunrise House, an organization that placed the counselor in the school. The lawsuit alleges that Gilbert Olivares was supposed to be providing counselling to the boy, but instead was pressuring him to engage in sexual activities and harassing him with text messages and Facebook messages.
After the boy’s family found the incriminating text messages and provided them to the police, the police investigated further and discovered that Gilbert Olivares had taken secret videos of students having sex in his Salinas High School office. Mr. Olivares would pressure each male student to take his girlfriend into the office to have sex. Unknown to the students, Mr. Olivares was secretly videotaping the episodes. At least 11 students were victimized.
Gilbert Olivares was criminally convicted of these crimes and will serve 16 years in prison.
Mr. Ring was interviewed by the Monterey County Weekly. He stated that both the School District and Sunrise House are legally responsible for what Gilbert Olivares did to the victims: “They each had ample warning signs. It is their job to know.”
Taylor & Ring will seek significant money damages for the boy’s emotional suffering. “The relationship between a student and a school counselor is of vital importance, and when that trust is broken by serious misconduct, then the student is the one harmed. A school is supposed to be a place that promotes education, safety and respect for all,” commented Mr. Ring.
Serving clients throughout the Greater Los Angeles and Southern California area, we represent victims in a variety of civil litigation cases. If you or a loved one has been injured, turn to an experienced Los Angeles personal injury or sexual assault lawyer.
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