Former GISD administrator who pleaded guilty to child rape charges learns punishment

A former associate superintendent with the Gadsden Independent School District was sentenced Thursday to 12 years in prison after he pleaded no contest to four counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor.

A grand jury indicted Richard Chavez, 66, on six counts of second degree criminal sexual contact of a minor in May 2016. That same month, Chavez resigned his position as associate superintendent. He retired later that summer after 23 years with the district.

In court Thursday, Chavez said he was ” truly sorry ” for what he did. The victim told the court she suffers from panic attacks and Chavez ruined her childhood.

” I’ve never faced any disciplinary actions at any level of my life. Again, I’m truly sorry for everything that has transpired and has happened to my family, ” said Chavez in court, ” I pray that we get through this, beyond this, because I truly miss and love my family. ”

” I wasn’t able to sleep alone in my room for months because of this monster. I couldn’t sleep without a nightlight. I couldn’t even use the restroom without opening the shower curtain to make sure he wasn’t in there, ” said the victim in court. ” It did not matter what anyone tried to tell me. I was still scared even if they told me he wasn’t allowed near me. It was just hard trying to live knowing he wasn’t locked up. I thought he would find me and molest me. ”

12 years in prison was the maximum allowed under the law. The minimum prison sentence was six years.

Court documents obtained by ABC-7 at the time of Chavez’s arrest state Chavez sexually assaulted the girl over a period of years. The victim was 10 years old at the time of Chavez’s arrest.

Authorities said the sexual assaults did not happen on school grounds, but inside a recreational vehicle at Chavez’s home in Mesquite.

Court documents state the girl told a friend from school about the assault. She said that, on numerous occasions, Chavez would put his hands underneath her clothing and touch her inappropriately.