California Teacher of the Year Finalist Arrested in Child Sex Sting

Ruben Guzman, an assistant principal and math teacher, was caught trying to pay for sexual acts with an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old boy.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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A California Teacher of the Year finalist, Ruben Guzman, has been arrested for attempting to pay for sexual acts with an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old boy. Guzman, an assistant principal and math teacher at Sunrise Middle School in San Jose, was part of a wider bust that saw 10 others across the region caught over alleged child exploitation crimes on the internet.

Why it matters

The arrest of a highly regarded teacher and administrator for attempting to sexually exploit a minor has shocked the local school district and community. It raises concerns about potential victims at the school and the need for stronger safeguards to prevent such incidents from occurring.

The details

Undercover officers from various law enforcement agencies posed as juveniles online to identify individuals seeking to sexually exploit children. Guzman organized to meet up with what he believed was a 13-year-old boy, but was instead arrested by San Jose police and the FBI at the scene.

  • Last week, Guzman organized to meet up with the undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old boy.

The players

Ruben Guzman

A 31-year-old assistant principal and math teacher at Sunrise Middle School in San Jose, California, who was a finalist for Teacher of the Year and recognized by the San Francisco 49ers for his work in the classroom.

Sunrise Middle School

The school where Guzman worked as an assistant principal and math teacher.

Teresa Robinson

The principal of Sunrise Middle School, who expressed shock and concern over Guzman's arrest, stating that there were no prior signs of any issues with his work record.

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What they’re saying

“While this is deeply upsetting, it does not reflect who we are as a school. He was a highly regarded teacher and administrator.”

— Teresa Robinson, Principal, Sunrise Middle School (ABC7)

“Again, there was nothing in his work record or his prior work record, said other schools to indicate anything had any problems with his work.”

— Teresa Robinson, Principal, Sunrise Middle School (ABC7)

“These chat operations specifically were conducted by undercover officers. With these operations specifically, we were able to apprehend the offenders before any child was harmed.”

— Stacie Shih, Spokeswoman, San Jose Police Department (nypost.com)

What’s next

The judge will decide on Tuesday whether to allow Ruben Guzman to be released on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the urgent need for stronger safeguards and vigilance to protect children from sexual predators, even in positions of trust and authority within the education system. It underscores the importance of proactive law enforcement efforts to identify and apprehend offenders before they can harm vulnerable minors.