A student at Fairfax High School was convicted yesterday (Thursday) of assault and battery after being accused of groping more than a dozen of his female classmates.
Israel Christopher Flores Ortiz, an 18-year-old who is currently a junior at the school, was found guilty by a judge on nine misdemeanor counts that stemmed from numerous instances of what prosecutor Jenna Sands described as “grabbing butts.”
Flores Ortiz was also found not guilty on three counts and had one dismissed. He was charged with 13 counts in all.
Between Feb. 25 and March 4, Flores Ortiz is believed to have assaulted “numerous female juvenile victims” at the school, Fairfax City police said. Not much else is known about the circumstances of the allegations, as a majority of Thursday’s adjudicatory hearing — which included testimony from all 13 victims — was closed to the public.
Before the courtroom was closed, however, defense attorney Jamie Hospers told the court that he intended to show school surveillance footage to make the argument that Flores Ortiz made unintentional contact with the alleged victims due to the school’s hallways being “densely packed.”
Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Judge Melinda VanLowe was mostly unmoved by that argument, finding Flores Ortiz guilty on more than two-thirds of the criminal charges.
As each of the offenses carries a maximum penalty of one year behind bars, Flores Ortiz could face nearly a decade in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 21.
Officials with Fairfax County Public Schools did not immediately make a statement following Flores Ortiz’s conviction. In a letter sent to families last month, Superintendent Michelle Reid noted the district’s cooperation with law enforcement and reiterated a commitment to the safety of students.
“Our focus on the safety and well-being of every student and staff member remains firm,” Reid wrote in the letter. “Nothing is more important.”
The case has also drawn national attention due to Flores Ortiz’s immigration status. He previously told police that he was undocumented, having immigrated to the United States in 2024.
“This 19-year-old criminal illegal alien should NOT have been attending a Virginia high school and allowed to prey on innocent teenage girls … We are calling on Fairfax County sanctuary politicians to NOT release this predator from jail back into our communities to assault more teenage women,” Department of Homeland Security deputy assistant secretary Lauren Bis said March 16.
The U.S. Department of Education announced on March 30 that it’s opening an investigation into FCPS over its handling of the case, specifically for potential violations of Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex in public education.
