Former Las Cruces teacher facing reduced charges for alleged child molestation

ABC-7 first brought you the story of Jesus Solis, a Las Cruces elementary school teacher charged with 52 counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor last summer. But ABC-7 learned Wednesday, Solis’ charges have been dramatically down-graded.

The ABC-7 I-Team learned of the change of plea setting by checking www.nmcourts.gov. ABC-7 reached out to a parent of one of the victims who spoke to us shortly after Solis’ arrest, for his reaction.

From this parent ABC-7 learned Solis will accept a plea that reduces the 52 charges of sex crimes against a child, to just four counts of misdemeanor battery. He tells us he now feels helpless in securing justice for his daughter.

“Our family is disappointed, we are very disappointed,” the father said.

Solis was 46 when he was arrested last July. Court documents show the fourth grade Desert Hills Elementary teacher is accused of touching three young girls, on their chests and buttocks over their clothes during a two year period. All three claim it happened at school.

Solis is set to accept District Attorney Mark D’Antonio new charges on Friday.

“He will be pleading guilty to four counts of battery on a child — misdemeanors,” said the father.

Solis was fired from the school this February, but for this father who told ABC-7 last summer:

“The innocence of our daughter has been taken away,” he said.

Justice is now in the hands of the court.

“We don’t feel like there is anything we can do about it,” he said. “And this thing is going to play out in district court on Friday.”

ABC-7 called the District Attorney offices, hoping to ask why the charges were reduced, but ABC-7 has yet to receive a returned call for this story.