West Haven Cleaning Worker Charged in Sexual Assault on Lyman Hall Student

A West Haven resident remains in state custody in lieu of a $75,000 bond after police said he was involved in a sexual assault involving a minor at Lyman Hall High School earlier this week.

Police took Juan David Mazo-Ospina, 32, into custody after he voluntarily agreed to go with detectives to the Wallingford Police Department to provide his account of the incident, police said in a press release.

Mazo-Ospina, of 302 Saw Mill Road in West Haven, was arraigned in Meriden Superior Court this week on counts of second-degree sexual assault and illegal sexual contact involving a minor under 16-years-old, according to court records.

Police said the incident is considered an isolated case, not a random one, and both school officials and police have assured residents that Lyman Hall is safe and there is no threat.

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The incident occurred on the evening of Oct. 15, police said, and allegedly took place between Mazo-Ospina and a minor in the Vocational-Agricultural building at the high school.

While working for a private company, One Solution Services of Fairfield, detectives said Mazo-Ospina befriended a female student and the two smoked several cigarettes together. She proceeded to follow him into a classroom where the two began to kiss before having sex in a classroom closet, according to police reports.

Mazo-Ospina claims the sex was consensual while the female student indicated to police that she had told him no.

Following the incident, the school district led by School Superintendent Salvatore Menzo and Lyman Hall Principal David Bryant sent a letter home to parents assuring student safety.

In the letter sent home Wednesday, Menzo said the district cooperated with police to help the investigation reach a swift conclusion:

"The district received notice that an employee of an outside contractor who supplies services to Lyman Hall has been arrested. The district (also) cooperated with police in regard tot he investigation or potential criminal conduct. It is our understanding that the allegations are related to an isolated incident."

Roxanne McKay, chairwoman of the Wallingford Board of Education, told the Record-Journal on Wednesday that she was pleased with both the school administration's response to the incident and the police investigation:

"I think they've done a superior job," McKay said. "They got to the bottom of things swiftly and confidentially."

Court records indicate that Mazo-Ospina has not entered a plea in the case. He is due back in Meriden Superior Court on Oct. 31.

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