A female religion teacher has been busted for allegedly trafficking at least two boys, ages 15 and 17, for sex.
Lizamarie Rivera-García, 42, was arrested Monday, accused of having “recruited, enticed, transported, and maintained” the boys “to engage in commercial sex acts,” according to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.
She was busted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) after being indicted by a grand jury on a slew of sex-trafficking charges that, if convicted, would see her sentenced to a minimum of 50 years to a maximum of life in prison.
“A female religion teacher that had the responsibility to guide our children about principles and beliefs was actually developing a plan to sexually assault them,” said Rebecca C. Gonzalez-Ramos, HSI San Juan’s Special Agent in Charge.
“We cannot let our guard down! Our children are being sexually exploited by people in positions of public trust,” she said.
Rivera-Garcia, of Bayamón outside of San Juan, allegedly trafficked the 15-year-old between December 2023 and October 2024 and the 17-year-old from December 2023 to last November.
No further details were given, including whether the boys were her pupils.
“The sexual exploitation of children robs children of their freedom, dignity and sense of security,” W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, said in a statement.
“Such conduct is unacceptable in our society,” Muldrow added.
Gonzalez-Ramos said that the teens would be provided with the “necessary assistance to overcome this trauma.”
The case will be prosecuted by an assistant attorney with the DHS’s Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit.
