A former lecturer at Cal State University, Long Beach and Rio Hondo College is facing criminal charges in Davis County, Utah, for failing to register as a sex offender, a third-degree felony that could land him up to five years in prison.
According to a press release report by police officer Erin Behm, Syracuse Police in Utah arrested Edgard Aguilar, 50, on charges of forcible sex abuse and failure to register as a sex offender, which he is required to do under Chapter 41 of Title 77.
Although he registered his legal name as a sex offender with the Syracuse Police Department, he did not notify them that he was using the alias “Giovanni Dimarco” to run a photography business out of his home.
Prosecuting attorney Matthew Brass said that Aguilar ran the business between January and April. When an 18-year-old client made a complaint against Dimarco for inappropriate touching, it came to the attention of responding police officers that Dimarco was actually Aguilar, who is a registered sex offender.
Aguilar was previously convicted of rape in 1984 in California and released in 1987. Court documents state that he is pleading “not guilty” and is expected to appear in court on Oct. 28.
Despite his status as a sex offender, Aguilar has worked at various schools and college-related organizations after his conviction and is currently an operations manager for Beach Publishing Co.
In 2003, he was named “Volunteer of the Year” for the Journalism Association of Community Colleges, a non-profit organization founded in 1955 that provides networking and educational opportunities for journalism students. El Vaquero has previously participated in JACC conferences.
Aguilar also led various workshops for the organization, including “Working With Your Printer” in 2012 during a conference at Cal State Fullerton.
JACC president Patricia Stark confirmed Aguilar as the same man who was convicted in 1984 and is currently facing charges in Utah. She said that Aguilar worked as a volunteer and also received a stipend for transporting equipment. In April, the organization recognized him with the “Extra Mile Award” for work he performed between 2012 and 2013. Aguilar’s arrest warrant by the Syracuse Police Department was filed only a few months later on July 31.
Stark was informed of Aguilar’s identity and past conviction when she received an anonymous tip that directed her to an article in the Standard Examiner, a newspaper outlet in Utah, that reported on Aguilar’s past and current offences.
“All ties were severed as of Sept. 22,” she said. “He is no longer in any way associated with the Journalism Association of Community Colleges.”
Aguilar’s LinkedIn profile also states that he worked as an operations manager for Utah Weekly News. His “Giovanni Dimarco” alias appears the Weekly News’ website as an editor and design director but is spelled “Giovanni DiMarco.”
