Ricardo Vila, a 39-year-old physical education teacher at George Read Middle School, was arrested Monday morning following an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a law enforcement group led by the Delaware Department of Justice and Delaware State Police.

“Parents deserve to trust that their children are safe at school, full stop,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “Any case with a child victim is heinous; cases where the abuser held a position of trust are beyond the pale. Child predators are our priority. We will find them, we will charge them without compromise, and we will bring them to justice.”

“The Delaware State Police remains committed to protecting the community’s most vulnerable members, our children,” stated Colonel William D. Crotty, Superintendent of the Delaware State Police. “We commend the Colonial School District for promptly bringing this matter to our attention, allowing law enforcement to take immediate action. This case highlights the crucial collaboration between our detectives and the Delaware Department of Justice in holding offenders accountable. We will continue to work diligently alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure that those who exploit children face justice.”

Vila faces 17 felony charges based on sexually explicit text messages and social media messages he exchanged with an 8th grade student at the school. Specifically, he is charged with:

• 6 counts of Sexual Solicitation of a Child;
• 6 counts of Promoting Sexual Solicitation of a Child;
• 2 counts of Obscenity;
• 1 count of Enticement for Purposes of Sexual Contact;
• 1 count of Sexual Abuse of a Child by a Person in a Position of Trust Second Degree; and
• 1 count of Dangerous Crime against a Child

The defendant is entitled to a presumption of innocence. Investigators are not currently aware of additional victims; however, given the nature of Vila’s work and the fact that it brought him into regular contact with children, the State is seeking any information the public may have about this case. Anyone with information should contact Detective Kevin Kelleher at (302) 365-8436.

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