For Immediate Release:
January 21, 2021
Contact: Matt Baca — (505) 270-7148
Santa Fe, NM—Attorney General Hector Balderas announced today that his office has
filed charges in the Fourth Judicial District against Abran Ulibarri, a former school
security guard in the West Las Vegas Public schools, alleging that Ulibarri repeatedly
sexually assaulted an eighth-grade student over the course of a school year. The
complaint charges Ulibarri with 15 felony counts. Ulibarri was arrested on these charges
this morning.
“Schools should be the safest place in our communities, and it is tragic that this student
was subjected to this treatment by a school employee,” said Attorney General Balderas.
“My office will continue to hold accountable anyone who harms a child.”
In a related letter to the Secretary of the New Mexico Public Education Department,
Attorney General Balderas notified the Department of the matter and encouraged it and
legislative leaders to strongly consider immediate reforms to address New Mexico’s
chronic concerns of physical harm to students in schools.
This case was investigated, in part, by the Office of the Attorney General and will be
prosecuted by its Special Prosecutions Division.
A copy of the complaint against Ulibarri and the letter to the Public Education
Department are attached.
