Honk News (Eagle Mountain, UT) – A teacher from Eagle Mountain, currently facing an investigation for the suspected sexual abuse of two students, has reportedly departed the country, as stated by the Utah County Sheriff’s Office.
In a recent announcement, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office revealed that on December 15, 2024, they were alerted regarding Ricardo Prins, a 39-year-old man from Eagle Mountain, concerning his alleged inappropriate conduct with two minors.
Detectives uncovered evidence leading to multiple charges against Prins, including 42 counts of criminal sexual misconduct involving juveniles, one count of aggravated assault, and one count of obstruction of justice.
A recent statement revealed that Prins served as a teacher at Rockwell Charter High School in Eagle Mountain, where he allegedly exploited his role to manipulate his victims. According to court documents, Prins allegedly informed the teenage victims that he had the ability to hack their phones and claimed to have previously worked for the Brazilian government.
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During the initial stages of their inquiry, authorities discovered that Prins reportedly departed the United States and returned to Brazil on December 16, 2024, following his leave of absence on December 15, 2024, as stated in court records.
On December 18, law enforcement visited Prins’ residence and conversed with his spouse, who verified to authorities that he was in Brazil, although she stated she was unaware of his return date, according to the documents.
On December 19, Prins expressed a willingness to communicate with officers via remote means and informed the police that he was not aware of any ongoing investigation, explaining that he was in Brazil due to his mother’s critical condition.
According to documents, Prins informed the police that he intended to return to Utah on January 5, 2025. However, on January 3, he communicated that he would be unable to return as scheduled because of “visa issues.” As of January 14, he had not reached out to law enforcement since that time.
According to the announcement, detectives, while anticipating Prins’ return to the U.S. and collaborating with Federal Law Enforcement partners, discovered that his travel documents had expired earlier in 2024, preventing him from returning legally.
On January 14, Rockwell Charter High School communicated with parents via email, stating, “Mr. Prins is no longer employed at Rockwell Charter School, and this is an ongoing police investigation, so details are restricted.”
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Sgt. Ray Ormond, the public information officer with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, emphasized the significance of parents engaging in open dialogues with their children regarding what constitutes appropriate and inappropriate behavior in relationships and interactions with others, including educators.
The Utah County Sheriff’s Office is reaching out to the public for assistance in identifying any additional victims of Prins. They encourage anyone with information to contact Central Dispatch at (801) 798-5600 and request to speak with a UCSO Deputy.