'Arranged To Be Alone With Her': New Haven Assistant Principal Charged Over Two Alleged Student Sexual Assaults

A New Haven assistant principal has been charged over allegations that he sexually assaulted an underage student in his office on two consecutive school days, after police said they corroborated her account with school surveillance footage and staff interviews.

Daniel Bonet-Ojeda, 49, an assistant principal at James Hillhouse High School in New Haven, Connecticut, turned himself in after a warrant was issued charging him with two counts of second-degree sexual assault and two counts of fourth-degree sexual assault involving a student.

Investigators said the student, interviewed in a forensic setting, disclosed that the alleged assaults took place on back-to-back days in Bonet-Ojeda's office while lessons were under way elsewhere in the school. She told police he had 'arranged to be alone with her' on each occasion.

Detective Mariah Miller of the department's Special Victim Unit led the inquiry. Police said she was 'able to corroborate the victim's account with video surveillance from the school' and through interviews with witnesses and staff, along with other evidence that gave detectives probable cause for the arrest.

Case Reaches Court After Months of Uncertainty

The investigation began on 22 May, when Connecticut's Department of Children and Families alerted New Haven police to an allegation against an assistant principal at Hillhouse.

Four days later, New Haven Public Schools confirmed Bonet-Ojeda had been placed on administrative leave while the department and police carried out parallel inquiries.

He turned himself in on Monday evening after the warrant was issued and was arraigned on Tuesday morning.

His bond was set at $250,000, and his lawyer, Don Cretella, asked the court to reduce the figure, arguing his client was attempting to raise bail, but the judge declined to alter it.

Cretella told reporters by email that he had only just received the warrant and had 'not had a chance to thoroughly review it', adding that once he had, 'Mr Bonet and I will begin his defence.'

Bonet-Ojeda did not respond to a request for comment.

The court also imposed a protective order requiring him to stay at least 100 yards from the student, with any breach carrying an additional felony charge. He is next due in court on 8 October.

Police said investigators knew of only one alleged victim at this stage, though they did not rule out further people coming forward. The charges follow months of uncertainty at Hillhouse, where parents had been told only in May that an administrator was on leave pending investigation.

School Left Reeling as Details Emerge

On Tuesday, principal Antoine Billy wrote to families confirming that a warrant had been issued alleging Bonet-Ojeda sexually assaulted an underage student.

District spokesperson Justin Harmon said in a further statement that the alleged conduct 'was reported by the student' and that Bonet-Ojeda 'was immediately placed on leave in accordance with NHPS protocols'.

An interim administrator has taken over his duties. 'We are working with our school social workers and specialised staff to support our students and staff,' Harmon said, adding that the district remained 'committed to maintaining a healthy and supportive school community' and that safety was the priority.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker called the allegations 'extremely disturbing', saying they would 'shock the conscience of every student, parent and educator' at Hillhouse. He said the individual 'will be held accountable... to the fullest extent of the law' and pledged support for the student and wider school community.

Bonet-Ojeda's tenure in New Haven schools also came under scrutiny in 2019, when he was placed on leave while serving as principal of John C. Daniels School. The investigation involved allegations that he failed to follow mandatory child-abuse reporting requirements and harassed staff, allegations he denied.

He returned to work later that year and was transferred to Hillhouse as an assistant principal following the investigation.