HILLSBORO, Ore- On August 14, 2023, Yessenia Manriquez-Casillas, age 23, pleaded guilty to two counts of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree. On September 5, 2023, Washington County Circuit Court Judge Oscar Garcia sentenced the defendant to 13 months in prison. Deputy District Attorney Rayney Meisel prosecuted the case. 

The defendant worked as a teacher’s assistant at Century High School in Hillsboro, Oregon. In March of 2023, the defendant coordinated a meet-up with the teenage victim, who was a student at the school. They drove to a secondary location, where the sexual abuse occurred. 

The victim’s mother found text messages on the child’s phone between the victim and defendant. When asked about these messages, the victim became upset and disclosed the abuse. The mother notified school officials who placed the defendant on leave and alerted law enforcement. 

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office commends the victim for the bravery shown throughout the court process. This office also acknowledges the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsboro Police Department, CARES Northwest, and the Hillsboro School District for their work on this case. 

The defendant will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to begin serving her sentence.