A former music educator from a Bronx middle school received a 30-year prison sentence on Tuesday for the sexual abuse of five female students many years ago, using phones and gifts to exploit them and create a false sense of affection.
In September 2023, Jesus Concepcion, an educator, admitted to coercing young girls, aged roughly 12 to 16, into sexual acts in various locations including the music room of the school, his vehicle, and motels across New Jersey, spanning a period of seven years.
Mr. Concepcion, 51, admitted guilt to 10 charges, which involved luring a minor into unlawful sexual conduct. On Tuesday, Judge Loretta A. Preska delivered the sentence while four of the victims and their family members observed the proceedings.
Mr. Concepcion, dressed in a navy blue shirt, remained stoic next to his attorneys in the cold Manhattan federal courtroom while his victims shared their emotional accounts of the impact of his actions.
“Jesus Concepcion takes pleasure in harming and ruining the lives of children,” stated one victim, referred to in legal documents as Minor Victim-3. Confronting her former teacher, she asserted: “If it were my decision, I would advocate for the death penalty.”
During a short address in court, Mr. Concepcion expressed his remorse directly to the women he had harmed, speaking deliberately and maintaining a forward gaze. “I can’t express enough how I wish I could undo my actions,” he stated. “My apology feels inadequate.”
Mr. Concepcion faced initial arrest and charges following an indictment revealed in August 2021, which alleged that he had sexually abused four students. In March 2023, authorities included a fifth victim and broadened the allegations.
He initially entered a plea of not guilty, only to suddenly confess to his offenses just before his trial commenced last autumn.
According to prosecutors, Mr. Concepcion’s misconduct started in 2000 during his tenure as a music teacher at KIPP Academy Middle School in the Bronx. In a span of seven years, Mr. Concepcion identified five young girls he mentored, ingratiating himself into their lives by showering them with affection and financial support. According to prosecutors, he purchased clothing, jewelry, and music for them, and even supplied some with alcohol.
He convinced all of his targets that they were involved in a romantic relationship and provided four of them with cellphones, allowing him to communicate and set up meetings without their parents being aware.
In late 2003, Mr. Concepcion reportedly made a trip from New York to Connecticut to meet one of the girls at her high school, where they engaged in sexual activity in his vehicle, as stated in the indictment. During the same timeframe, Mr. Concepcion also traveled to Pennsylvania to meet another victim at her high school, according to prosecutors.
Mr. Concepcion additionally requested that two victims, who are sisters, provide him with sexually explicit nude photographs. One agreed, transmitting the images via the cellphone he had provided her, according to prosecutors. When the other party hesitated, Mr. Concepcion presented her with the graphic images of her sister to illustrate his demands.
According to the sentencing guidelines applicable to his crime, Mr. Concepcion was confronted with the potential for a life sentence.
In a letter presented to the court prior to the sentencing, Raoul Zaltzberg, an attorney for Mr. Concepcion, sought a 10-year prison term, which is the minimum stipulated in Mr. Concepcion’s plea agreement. Mr. Zaltzberg emphasized his client’s profound regret and his desire to support his 3-year-old daughter.
Mr. Zaltzberg portrayed Mr. Concepcion as an individual who overcame a difficult childhood in the South Bronx, leveraging his musical talent to gain admission to LaGuardia High School, a prestigious performing arts institution, and ultimately to the Juilliard School.