Rodymar Lelis, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines (arrested Apr 2018) [molestation of student, 14]

Cebu teacher nabbed for allegedly molesting Palaro athlete

18 April 2018

A 28-year-old public school teacher from Cebu City was arrested after getting accused of molesting a 14-year-old male dance sport athlete. Senior Inspector Frederico Artates, Caoayan town police chief, said suspect Rodymar Lelis, 28, had been brought to a Vigan court for inquest due to "acts of lasciviousness." Lelis is a special education (SPED) teacher in Zapatera Elementary School in Cebu City. Artates said the police station received a spot report from a police on field that a Palaro athlete accused Lelis of inappropriate behavior. Initial investigations showed the minor victim and his teammate from Olongapo City were inside a ...

https://www.rappler.com/sports/spec...nabbed-for-allegedly-molesting-palaro-athlete

 

More background on the Philippine arrest in April, 2018:


The Freeman

17 April 2018

A Cebu City teacher was arrested for alleged acts of lasciviousness against a 14-year-old Palaro athlete in a plaza in Barangay Don Alejandro Quirolgico, Caoayan, Ilocos Sur. Initial investigation showed the victim, a student from Olongapo City, and a 15-year-old companion went to the plaza's comfort room around 8:30 p.m. yesterday. While they were inside, Rodymar Lelis, 28, a teacher of Zapatera Elementary School and a resident of Tejero, Cebu City, allegedly entered, hugged the victim, attempted to kiss him and even asked how much his price was. The suspect also reportedly took photos of the victim and his companion. ...

https://www.facebook.com/thefreeman...cts-of-lasciviousness-again/1936044939795863/



FIRE THE TEACHER

18 April 2018

Tomas asks DepEd: Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to immediately terminate the services of a Cebu City public school teacher who was accused of making sexual advances on a 14-year-old athlete during the Palarong Pambansa in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. “We owe the parents who entrust their children to us. DECS (DepEd) should really get rid of this teacher immediately. Transfer them to Tawi-Tawi or Marawi,” said Osmeña. Osmeña said that although abuses against minors have been very rampant, tolerating culprits of abuses, especially involving children, should not be part of the option. “This happens ...

Indecent proposal: According to the testimony of the victim, he was molested by Lelis in Caoayan town, which served as one of the venues of the sports meet, on the evening of April 17. In his statement in the police spot report, the victim said that Lelis kissed his neck and shoulder and forcibly hugged him inside a comfort room at the venue. He added that the suspect offered him money to have sex with him. The victim, who is from Olongapo City and a participant of the dancesport event, ran to his coach and parents to seek for help. ...

Face the music: DepEd Director in Central Visayas Dr. Juliet Jeruta immediately clarified that Lelis was not part of the Region 7 delegation to the week-long sports meet and that he was only in Vigan as a mere spectator. Jeruta said that Lelis can be stripped of his teacher’s license and face other legal consequences for his actions. “He is not part of the delegation, neither as a coach or a chaperon. He just came here to watch Palarong Pambansa. We did not even let him stay at our billeting quarters because we are running out of space,” said Jeruta. ...

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/171504/fire-the-teacher



Cebu City public school teacher nabbed in Ilocos Sur

19 April 2018

A Cebu City public school teacher was arrested Tuesday night in Caoayan, Ilocos Sur, for allegedly molesting a 14-year-old student-athlete. The teacher, (whose name is being withheld) works at the Zapatera Elementary School Special Education (Sped) class, and resident of Baragay T. Padilla, Cebu City, allegedly embraced and attempted to kiss the boy, a dance sport athlete in the ongoing Palarong Pambansa national athletics meet, while inside the rest room at the NSCC Plaza in Barangay Don Elejandro Quirolgico, in the said town. NSCC Plaza is the venue for the dance sport competition. According to Caoayan Police chief Senior Inspector ...

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/429026



Briones issues warning vs sexual predators

20 April 2018

Education Secretary Leonor Briones issued a stern warning against sexual molesters that they have no place in any learning places and events. In a statement, Briones said: “behaviors that endanger the physical and mental well-being of our learners are not tolerated in the department.” Briones warning came after the arrest of a Cebu City public school teacher who was accused of making sexual advances to a student-athlete at the 2018 Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Sur. Briones stressed that teachers, school administrators, and non-teaching personnel should “perform functions and conduct themselves, in and outside the classroom, with the responsibility of protecting ...

https://newsline.ph/top-stories/2018/04/20/briones-issues-warning-vs-sexual-predators/



DepEd probes teacher who allegedly molested Palaro athlete

20 April 2018

The Department of Education (DepEd) said it has ordered the investigation of the Cebu City teacher who allegedly molested a 14-year-old athlete in the Palarong Pambansa 2018 in this province. In a statement on Friday, April 20, Secretary Leonor Briones said sexual predators and violators of children’s rights are not welcome in the DepEd. Briones’ statement came after Rodymar Lelis, a special education teacher of Zapatera Elementary School, was arrested by police in Caoayan town in Ilocos Sur after a 14-year-old dance sport athlete complained of being “sexually-harassed” by Lelis. Lelis had been subjected to inquest in a Vigan City ...

https://jip.ph/deped-probes-teacher-who-allegedly-molested-palaro-athlete/

 

Via Google Cache on 8 November 2019:

Rodymar Lelis

5th/6th Grade Adult Learner

rod.lelis@montessorilatierra.org​

 

From Mabuhay Web, Rodymar Pedrano Lelis was listed as #5600 out of 10,243 when he passed his teacher licensing exam in 2011:

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Press release:

11/07/2019

ICE HSI special agents arrest NM teacher on child pornography charges

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A citizen of the Philippines, who taught at a school in Española, New Mexico, appeared in federal court Wednesday charged with possessing child pornography.

This case is being investigated by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The criminal complaint accuses Rodymar Pedrano Lelis, 29, of accessing videos containing child pornography from his room in a local hotel Sept. 7, 2019. HSI special agents arrested Lelis in Española.

“Child exploitation is a heinous crime, and these investigations are one of HSI’s highest priorities,” said Jack P. Staton, special agent in charge of HSI El Paso. “We plan to continue working with our federal, state and local partners to identify, arrest and prosecute child predators to hold them accountable for their reprehensible crimes.”

Lelis is lawfully present in the United States on a J-1 non-immigrant visa for foreign nationals involved in cultural and educational exchange opportunities. He was employed at La Tierra Montessori School of the Arts and Sciences on the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico.

A detention hearing is set for Nov. 8 in federal court. If convicted of the charged offense, Lelis faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.

HSI special agents, assigned to the Albuquerque office, conducted an investigation with assistance from HSI Manila and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Mease is prosecuting this case.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 19,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child exploitation material, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2018, more than 3,000 (3,191) child predators were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 850 (859) victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page. HSI is a founding member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.

 

Teacher from Cebu arrested in 2018 jailed again in US for child porn

11 November 2019

Remember the Cebu City public school teacher who was arrested for allegedly making sexual advances on a 14-year-old athlete during the Palarong Pambansa in Vigan, Ilocos Sur in April 2018? Well, he is behind bars again, this time in New Mexico in the United States. Rodymar Lelis, 29, a former teacher at the Zapatera Integrated School in Barangay Zapatera in Cebu City, was jailed for alleged possession and sharing of pornographic videos of children. According to a news release of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Lelis is facing a criminal complaint for “accessing videos ...

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/...ted-in-2018-jailed-again-in-us-for-child-porn

 

Cebuano teacher arrested in United States for allegedly possessing child porn videos

11 November 2019

A teacher from Cebu City who was previously accused of molesting a Filipino teenager was arrested in U.S. state of New Mexico early last week for allegedly possessing child pornography. Rodymar Pedrano Lelis, 29, allegedly accessed the pornographic videos from an Albuquerque hotel room sometime in September, a statement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said. After accessing these videos, Lelis allegedly sent them to someone through Facebook Messenger. Lelis started teaching elementary school students a few weeks later at the La Tierra Montessori School of the Arts and Sciences (LTMAS) in the nearby city of Española, local television station ...

https://coconuts.co/manila/news/ceb...s-for-allegedly-possessing-child-porn-videos/

 

From https://www.santafecountynm.gov/inmate_lookup.php:

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Via Pacer:

Case Summary:

1:19-mj-03990-JFR All Defendants USA v. Lelis
Date filed: 11/06/2019
Date of last filing: 11/08/2019

Rodymar Lelis (1)
Office: Albuquerque Filed: 11/06/2019
County: Bernalillo Terminated: Reopened:
Other Court Case: None

Complaint Citation: Offense Level: 4
18:2252A(a)(5)(B): Possession and/or Access with Intent to View Child Pornography
Defendant Custody Status: Custody

Defendant: Rodymar Lelis represented by Alejandro Benito Fernandez(Designation Public Defender or Community Defender Appointment)
Phone:505-346-2489
Fax:505-346-2494
Email:alejandro_fernandez@fd.org
Plaintiff: USA represented by Sarah Jane Mease(Designation Retained)
Phone:505-224-1406
Email:sarah.mease@usdoj.gov


Docket:

Case Filed:Nov 06, 2019

• Docket
• Parties (2)

Docket last updated: 11/08/2019 1:32 AM MST
Wednesday, November 06, 2019
Arrest of Rodymar Lelis (nm)
1 NOTICE OF HEARING as to Rodymar Lelis: Initial Appearance set for 11/6/2019 at 09:30 AM in Albuquerque - 320 Rio Grande Courtroom before Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar. (cl) [THIS IS A TEXT-ONLY ENTRY. THERE ARE NO DOCUMENTS ATTACHED.]
2 COMPLAINT as to Rodymar Lelis (1). (nm)
4 Arrest Warrant Returned Executed on 11/5/2019 as to Rodymar Lelis. (nm)
5 ORDER APPOINTING FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER Alejandro Benito Fernandez for Rodymar Lelis by Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar (cl) [THIS IS A TEXT-ONLY ENTRY. THERE ARE NO DOCUMENTS ATTACHED.]
6 Clerk's Minutes for proceedings held before Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar: Initial Appearance as to Rodymar Lelis held; Preliminary/Detention Hearing set for 11/7/2019 at 09:30 AM in Albuquerque - 320 Rio Grande Courtroom before Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar. Related [+] (khs)
7 ORAL ORDER of Temporary Detention Pending Hearing as to Rodymar Lelis by Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar (khs) [THIS IS A TEXT-ONLY ENTRY. THERE ARE NO DOCUMENTS ATTACHED.]
New Mexico District Court
Case #: 1:19-mj-03990

 

Via Pacer:

U.S. District Court
District of New Mexico - Version 6.2.3 (Albuquerque)
CRIMINAL DOCKET FOR CASE #: 1:19-mj-03990-JFR-1

Case title: USA v. Lelis
Date Filed: 11/06/2019
Assigned to: Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar

Defendant (1)
Rodymar Lelis represented byAlejandro Benito Fernandez
Federal Public Defender
District of New Mexico
111 Lomas Blvd., N.W.
Suite 501
Albuquerque, NM 87102
505-346-2489
Fax: 505-346-2494
Email: alejandro_fernandez@fd.org
LEAD ATTORNEY
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Designation: Public Defender or Community Defender Appointment

Pending Counts
Disposition
None

Highest Offense Level (Opening)
None

Terminated Counts
Disposition
None

Highest Offense Level (Terminated)
None

Complaints
Disposition
18:2252A(a)(5)(B): Possession and/or Access with Intent to View Child Pornography

Plaintiff
USA represented bySarah Jane Mease
United States Attorney's Office
201 3rd Street NW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
505-224-1406
Email: sarah.mease@usdoj.gov
LEAD ATTORNEY
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
Designation: Retained

Date Filed #Docket Text
11/06/20191 NOTICE OF HEARING as to Rodymar Lelis: Initial Appearance set for 11/6/2019 at 09:30 AM in Albuquerque - 320 Rio Grande Courtroom before Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar. (cl)
[THIS IS A TEXT-ONLY ENTRY. THERE ARE NO DOCUMENTS ATTACHED.] (Entered: 11/06/2019)
11/06/20192 COMPLAINT as to Rodymar Lelis (1). (nm) (Entered: 11/06/2019)
11/06/2019 Arrest of Rodymar Lelis (nm) (Entered: 11/06/2019)
11/06/20194 Arrest Warrant Returned Executed on 11/5/2019 as to Rodymar Lelis. (nm) (Entered: 11/06/2019)
11/06/20195 ORDER APPOINTING FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER Alejandro Benito Fernandez for Rodymar Lelis by Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar (cl)
[THIS IS A TEXT-ONLY ENTRY. THERE ARE NO DOCUMENTS ATTACHED.] (Entered: 11/06/2019)
11/06/20196 Clerk's Minutes for proceedings held before Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar: Initial Appearance as to Rodymar Lelis held; Preliminary/Detention Hearing set for 11/7/2019 at 09:30 AM in Albuquerque - 320 Rio Grande Courtroom before Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar. (Recording Info: Liberty-Rio Grande) (khs) (Entered: 11/06/2019)
11/06/20197 ORAL ORDER of Temporary Detention Pending Hearing as to Rodymar Lelis by Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar (khs)
[THIS IS A TEXT-ONLY ENTRY. THERE ARE NO DOCUMENTS ATTACHED.] (Entered: 11/06/2019)
11/07/20199 Clerk's Minutes for proceedings held before Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar: Preliminary/Detention Hearing NOT HELD as to Rodymar Lelis; Defense requested defendant be interviewed by USPP Office; request granted. Preliminary/Detention Hearing RESET for 11/8/2019 at 09:30 AM in Albuquerque - 320 Rio Grande Courtroom before Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar. (Recording Info: Liberty-Rio Grande @ 9:49 a.m.) (khs)
[THIS IS A TEXT-ONLY ENTRY. THERE ARE NO DOCUMENTS ATTACHED.] (Entered: 11/07/2019)
11/08/201910 Clerk's Minutes for proceedings held before Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar: Preliminary/Detention Hearing as to Rodymar Lelis held; Defendant remanded to the custody of the USMS. (Recording Info: Liberty-Rio Grande) (khs) (Entered: 11/08/2019)
11/08/201911 ORDER OF DETENTION Pending Trial as to Rodymar Lelis by Magistrate Judge John F. Robbenhaar (khs) (Entered: 11/08/2019)
11/08/2019 U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services added as interested party.(Galaz, Anthony) (Entered: 11/08/2019)

 

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