Pueblo West, CO- A former Pueblo West middle school teacher has been sentenced to 90 days in jail and 20 years probation on August 9. The teacher pleaded guilty to sexual assault on a child under 15 by a person in a position of trust.
Russell Davis, 48, admitted his guilt in May as part of a plea agreement with the 10th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. According to court records, an additional charge of enticement of a child, a class 4 felony, was dropped in exchange for his guilty plea.
In January 2024, Davis, a former teacher at Skyview Middle School, was arrested after an investigation that started in November 2023. He was put on administrative leave by the school district on November 28th and later terminated on December 19th.
In November, before the school’s Thanksgiving break, there were at least two instances of “sexually explicit touching” by Davis, as stated in an arrest affidavit from the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators also discovered a number of sexually explicit messages involving the student.
Former D-70 Teacher sentenced
— PuebloCounty Sheriff (@PuebloCountySO) August 9, 2024
(https://t.co/6ZfaSNhkLp) pic.twitter.com/DjiXjTdj00
A witness informed detectives that the connection between Russell and the child had been ongoing since September 2023. The witness claimed that Davis and the child often went to school sporting events together, sitting in close proximity with their knees touching.
Former Employee and Daycare Owner Face Charges After Child Abuse Investigation at Wisconsin Daycare
Facebook messages between the two obtained by the PCSO revealed Davis sending inappropriate messages to the child on multiple occasions. These messages included sexually explicit poetry, discussions about taking the child’s virginity when they turned 18, and other sexual references.
According to the affidavit, the student received around 10 messages from Davis that were of a sexual nature.
Davis would manipulate the child by exploiting their personal problems, falsely claiming to be their only source of support. Additionally, the individual requested the child to maintain confidentiality regarding their “connection,” advising them, “Please refrain from disclosing any information about me touching you or any similar incidents.”
During the PCSO investigation, Davis attempted to minimize his connection with the victim and asserted that he had a stronger bond with certain students compared to others. He firmly denied any form of sexual contact with the student.
He admitted to committing the crime of sexually assaulting the child on May 17. According to court records, Davis will also be required to register as a sex offender in addition to serving his jail sentence and probation.