Utah teacher now in Brazil faces 30 felonies accusing him of sexually abusing 2 students

EAGLE MOUNTAIN — A teacher at an Eagle Mountain high school is facing 30 felony charges accusing him of sexually abusing two students.

Ricardo Margalho Prins, 39, of Eagle Mountain, was charged Monday in 4th District Court with 10 counts of rape, object rape and 15 counts of forcible sodomy, first-degree felonies; three counts of forcible sexual abuse and aggravated assault, second-degree felonies; and unlawful kissing of a minor, a class A misdemeanor.

Prins is accused of sexually abusing two teenage girls on multiple occasions, including inside his classroom after school started in September. He also picked up the girls from either work or school and drove them to a "remote location" where he would sexually assault them in his car, according to charging documents.

Investigators say Prins would send messages to one student to join him in his classroom during her free period or while she was at the school attending after-school events and would lock the door of his classroom and sexually abuse her.

On one occasion, Prins put his hands around one of the girl's neck "and applied pressure until she passed out for a second," the charges allege.

As of Tuesday, Prins was listed online as a teacher at Rockwell Charter School, 3435 E. Stonebridge Lane, in Eagle Mountain, and as the information technology director. A social media post also indicates Prins only started teaching at the school within the past year and taught math and computer science.

The school sent a message to parents on Tuesday that stated, "Dear Rockwell parents and community, We are receiving a number of requests for information about Rockwell's former teacher Mr. Prins ... Mr. Prins is not employed at Rockwell Charter School anymore and this is an active police investigation, so information is limited."

The message encouraged parents to contact the Utah County Sheriff's Office for more information about the case.

The Utah County Sheriff's Office says it began investigating Prins on Dec. 15

"Prins was a teacher at the Rockwell Charter School in Eagle Mountain at the time, and it was alleged that Prins used his position to influence his victims," according to a statement released Tuesday.

Investigators believe that shortly after they received the case, Prins returned to his native country of Brazil. The sheriff's office is now working to get an arrest warrant to have Prins extradited back to Utah to face the criminal charges.

Prins told his victims "he had formerly worked for the government of Brazil and had murdered 2,000 people. During one incident he had (with one of the teens) alone with him in a remote area, (he) told her he could kill her because they were alone, and no one was watching," according to a motion seeking a no bail warrant filed Tuesday in 4th District Court,

The Utah County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday said investigators have no evidence about Prins killing people and believe he may have been saying that as a way to intimidate his victims.

One of the teens told someone about the alleged abuse on Dec. 13. Prins was placed on leave by the school two days later, according to court documents. He is believed to have flown to Brazil on Dec. 16.

"On Dec. 18, police went to (Prins') house and spoke with his wife who confirmed that he was in Brazil but did not know when he had booked his flight nor when he was returning. Shortly after police were finished talking to (his) wife, he texted police and said he would not be back from Brazil until Jan. 5," the motion states. But on Jan. 3, Prins "texted police that he would not be returning to the country as planned because he had visa issues and would contact police when he had more news. As of (Tuesday), he has not contacted police."

Detectives say if there are other victims, they are asked to call the sheriff's office at 801-798-5600 to speak with a deputy.

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