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A Fairfax High School junior was convicted Thursday of nine misdemeanor assault-and-battery charges after being accused of groping female classmates inside the school.

Israel Christopher Flores Ortiz, 18, had faced 13 counts involving incidents that allegedly occurred between Feb. 25 and March 4. A judge found him not guilty on three counts, while another was dismissed.

Fairfax City police said the case involved numerous juvenile victims. Prosecutor Jenna Sands characterized the alleged conduct as “grabbing butts.”

Much of the adjudicatory hearing was closed to the public because it included testimony from all 13 students involved in the allegations. That left many details about the encounters unavailable.

Before the courtroom closed, defense attorney Jamie Hospers said he planned to use school surveillance video to argue that Flores Ortiz had made accidental contact with students in “densely packed” hallways.

Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Judge Melinda VanLowe ultimately convicted Flores Ortiz on more than two-thirds of the charges.

Each offense carries a maximum sentence of one year behind bars, leaving Flores Ortiz potentially facing nearly a decade in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for April 21.

Fairfax County Public Schools did not immediately issue a statement after the verdict. In a letter to families the previous month, Superintendent Michelle Reid said the district was cooperating with law enforcement and remained committed to protecting students and employees.

“Our focus on the safety and well-being of every student and staff member remains firm,” Reid wrote. “Nothing is more important.”

The case has received national attention because of Flores Ortiz’s immigration status. He previously told police that he was undocumented and had entered the United States in 2024.

On March 16, Department of Homeland Security deputy assistant secretary Lauren Bis called for Flores Ortiz to remain jailed and criticized local officials over the possibility of his release. Her statement referred to him as 19 years old.

The U.S. Department of Education announced March 30 that it had opened an investigation into the school district’s handling of the case. The inquiry is examining possible violations of Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in public education.