Former Marshalltown teacher charged with sexual exploitation will plead guilty
A former high school teacher in Marshalltown charged with sexually exploiting a student will plead guilty.
Mark Esquivel, 27, was a high school physical education teacher and coach when he was charged and arrested June 30, 2021. He faces one felony count of sexual exploitation by a school employee.
Esquivel is alleged to have solicited sexual contact from a 17-year-old student between April and June 2021 through personal, social media and/or phone contact, according to court records and a police news release. The Marshalltown Police Department said it was made aware of the allegations against Esquivel on June 24, 2021.
Marshalltown Community School District spokesperson Adam Sodders said Esquivel worked for the district between Aug. 13, 2020 and July 12, 2021, when the school board approved his resignation in lieu of termination.
Esquivel was due to appear for a bench trial on Tuesday before Judge Adria Kester in Marshall County. The day prior, his attorney filed notice of Esquivel's intent to plead guilty.
A hearing on the plea is scheduled for Dec. 16.
Esquivel had waived his right to a trial by jury.
His arrest and charge was the first in a series of charges of sexual exploitation by a school employee filed against two other Marshalltown educators over a span of about four weeks.
The two other defendants died by suicide, authorities said. Marshalltown Police Chief Michael Tupper said the cases and the victims are not connected.
Marshalltown Superintendent Theron Schutte told the school board last year the district would review its hiring processes, though he added it did not find anything when hiring the three defendants that would have suggested the potential for the alleged behavior.
Schutte also said the district would "leave no stone unturned as we evaluate all of our policies, practices and procedures," including on employee ethics and social media conduct, and curriculum and programming for students of all grade levels on how to seek out help and assistance.
Since then, the Des Moines-based Ahlers & Cooney law firm trained all district staff on appropriate social media use and student-staff boundaries, Sodders said.
The district also requires all teachers be up-to-date on Iowa Area Education Agencies' "Ethics for Educators" course and all staff-student electronic communications take place through official district channels.
"A review of the district’s hiring and internal processes has been conducted, and staff continue to be provided with additional training that goes above and beyond what is required by the state," Sodders said.
The district also has worked with Child Abuse Prevention Services Center in Marshalltown to conduct a review of the programming it provides students on how to seek help if they have a concern, Sodders added.
More:After 2 classmates died by suicide, Gilbert High School students form supportive group
Phillip Sitter covers education for the Ames Tribune, including Iowa State University and PreK-12 schools in Ames and elsewhere in Story County. Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com. He is on Twitter @pslifeisabeauty.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Former Marshalltown teacher will plead guilty to sexual exploitation
