A now-former teacher at Rockwell Charter High School in Eagle Mountain under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct with two students has reportedly left the country, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said in a release Tuesday afternoon.

Authorities said they were contacted Dec. 15, 2024, about Ricardo Prins, 39, of Eagle Mountain, on suspicion of a “possible unlawful sexual relationship with two underage females.”

Court documents allege that, on multiple occasions, Prins sexually abused two students, a 17-year-old and a 15-year-old, KUTV reported.

In one of the alleged instances, a student told police that Prins wrapped his hands around her neck, then applied pressure until she reportedly passed out, Fox 13 reported.

An online search of Prins’ name lists him as a career and technical education teacher at Rockwell Charter High School, though as of Tuesday, his profile is no longer on the school’s website.

“It was alleged that Prins used his position to influence his victims,” the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said in the release.

When detectives began their investigation, they reportedly discovered that Prins left the country and returned to Brazil, which was around the same time authorities learned of the allegations against him, the release noted.

In the midst of their investigation, police allegedly found enough evidence to support a number of charges, including 42 counts of criminal sexual misconduct with the juveniles, one incident of aggravated assault and one incident of obstruction of justice, according to the sheriff’s office. No formal charges have been filed.

While waiting for Prins to return to the United States and working with federal law enforcement partners, police say they learned that his travel documents expired last year and he would not be able to legally return.

Some close to the school reacted dejectedly to the news, noting it’s not the first time students and adults have complained about teachers at the school.

In 2022, students walked out of a classroom in protest due to a different alleged instance of inappropriate behavior by a teacher, and at the time they claimed school administration didn’t take action, ABC4 reported.

“This isn’t my first rodeo dealing with the school and sexual assault,” said Staci Sokol, a grandparent of a former Rockwell student.

Her granddaughter, who graduated two years ago, was encouraged to dance inappropriately, according to comments to ABC4.

Sokol said not only did she complain to the principal at the time, she also alerted Eagle Mountain Mayor Tom Westmoreland and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox about alleged misbehavior by teachers at the school.

“I warned them, our students, our children warned them (that) it’s going to happen again,” she told the Daily Herald.

The recent incident brought back some prior feelings for Sokol, who said she’s thankful her granddaughter no longer attends Rockwell but expressed sorrow that more wasn’t done to protect the two students.

“I will continue to fight for these girls,” she said. “You have no idea, my heart is so broken. I don’t even know these girls, but I feel guilty because I should have stayed.”

Sokol, who said she’s also a survivor of sexual abuse, praised the two students for coming forward about the alleged actions of Prins and proclaimed her commitment to support them.

“They’re not victims; they’re survivors,” she stated. “We will stand beside them through everything.”

Currently, investigators are asking for any other potential victims of abuse to contact Central Dispatch at 801-798-5600 and ask to speak with a deputy.

For now, the case has been sent to the Utah County Attorney’s Office to obtain an arrest warrant for Prins. The sheriff’s office says there are aspects of the case that are still under investigation.

Rockwell Charter High School declined to comment on the allegations when reached by the Daily Herald on Tuesday afternoon.