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An 18-year-old Fairfax High School student was found guilty Thursday of nine misdemeanor assault and battery counts involving several female classmates.
Israel Flores Ortiz initially faced 13 charges. He was acquitted of three, while one case was dismissed.
The students described the unwanted touching before a judge in Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. Prosecutors also showed surveillance footage of the incidents.
Flores Ortiz’s attorney argued that the alleged offenses were not visible in the footage and that any contact resulted from crowded school hallways. Prosecutors countered that his actions followed an intentional pattern spanning several days.
Sentencing is set for April 21. Each count carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail, and Flores Ortiz remains in custody.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has said in social media posts that Flores Ortiz came from El Salvador and has been in the country illegally since 2024. The agency said ICE is prepared to take him into custody and deport him if he is released.
Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid announced last month that the district had hired a law firm to determine what happened, establish a timeline and review whether all relevant policies, procedures and regulations were followed.