Judge Says Former Christian School Teacher Deserves ‘Every Minute’ of Sentence for Sexually Abusing Girl

Kevin Conover, a former teacher at Christian High School in El Cajon, was sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison for sexually abusing a preteen girl. The criminal complaint alleged the abuse occurred between 2015 and 2019, with the first instance happening when the victim was 7 years old. Conover, 50, was arrested in December following an investigation that began months earlier. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to five felony sex crime counts and agreed to the 15-year-to-life prison term, plus five years to be served concurrently, along with a requirement to register as a sex offender.

The abuse survivor, who is now 17, was not a student of Conover’s, according to a statement from Christian Unified Schools of San Diego’s superintendent. During the sentencing hearing, the teen described living with the “horrifying secret” of what happened for years. “This was a vile crime that was committed against me,” she said in court. “He made me a victim and I carry that with me everywhere I go.”

The teen’s mother also addressed the court, stating that Conover “committed an unforgivable act” and “took some of the most vulnerable years of her life and turned them into traumatic memories.” Conover apologized to the teen, her family, his family, and “all the people that have put their faith in me and I let down.”

Before imposing the stipulated sentence, Superior Court Judge CJ Mody emphasized the severity of the breach of trust. “The level of trust that you have breached in this case … cannot be overstated,” the judge said. Though he noted he does not relish lengthy prison terms, he told Conover, “You deserve every minute, every hour, every day and every year you will be spending in custody as a result of your actions.”

The case highlights the need for accountability and the protection of the vulnerable. Proverbs 31:8-9 calls for defending the rights of the weak and ensuring justice for the oppressed.

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