FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Suspect Ruben Guzman

ARRESTED

During the week before Super Bowl 60, the San José Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) / Child Exploitation Detail (CED) Task Force conducted an undercover chat operation to identify, locate, and apprehend individuals who were seeking minors online to engage in a lewd or lascivious acts. Undercover officers from various law enforcement agencies posed as juveniles online to identify individuals seeking to sexually exploit children.

During the operation, undercover officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and SJPD ICAC identified Ruben Guzman as a potential suspect and initiated a criminal investigation.

On the evening of February 3, 2026, Suspect Guzman started to communicate with who he believed was a 13-year-old juvenile male. The suspect acknowledged the child was underage and told the minor that he wanted to engage in sexual acts, further enticing the minor by offering money in exchange. Suspect Guzman arranged to pick up the child in the city of San José but when he arrived, he was apprehended by Officers with the SJPD Covert Response Unit who immediately took him into custody.

A search of his person and vehicle revealed items consistent with the planned encounter. During the subsequent investigation, Investigators learned that the suspect was actively employed as an Assistant Principal at Sunrise Middle School located in the city of San José. The school administration was notified and is fully cooperating with the investigation.

Suspect Guzman was booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail for communicating with a minor for sex.

Because the suspect was employed in a position of trust working with children at the time of arrest, ICAC Detectives believe there may be additional victims. Anyone with information about this case or similar cases is asked to contact Detective Minten #4269 of the San José Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC)/Child Exploitation Detail (CED) Task Force via email: 4269@sanjoseca.gov, or 408-277-4102.

Submit crime tips and remain anonymous by using the P3TIPS mobile app, calling the tip line at (408) 947-STOP, or on www.siliconvalleycrimestoppers.org. If the information you submit leads to an arrest, you are eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers Program.