A 39-year-old Otero Elementary School teacher was arrested Monday evening on suspicion of sexual assault on a 15-year-old girl, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday.

Carmen Centennial is accused of having “sexual contact” with the girl more than once from between December 2012 until and March, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

Sheriff’s spokesman Lt. Jeff Kramer said the alleged victim “is not, nor has she ever been in the past,” one of Centennial’s students.

Centennial and his alleged victim are not related, he said.

Harrison School District 2 spokeswoman Christine Lyle said the district learned of the arrest moments before the sheriff’s office issued a news release. The district “immediately” placed Centennial on administrative leave, she said.

Centennial is an English language development teacher and was hired Jan. 15. Lyle said she didn’t know where he worked previously because the school was closed Tuesday because of the weather.

“I’m hoping that we will be gathering that information tomorrow when we’re all back together,” she said, adding that the district performs background checks on all teachers.

“We run the Colorado background check as well as fingerprints through the FBI,” she said. “The Colorado Department of Education runs background checks on teachers with licenses as well.”

The sheriff’s office said “there is no information at this time” to suggest that there have been additional alleged victims.

Centennial was being held Tuesday on $10,000 bond on suspicion of sexual assault on a child by a one in a position of trust, sexual assault on a child — pattern of abuse, and sexual assault.

“Due to the nature of the offense and the age of the victim, no additional details will be shared,” the sheriff’s release states.

Carmen Centennial Photo by