Documents: UTRGV professor abused student on campus

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) – Documents revealed new information in the case of a University of Texas Rio Grande Valley professor who was arrested on sexual assault charges.

On June 18, George Jaques Amorim was arrested by UTRGV police on charges of sexual assault and indecent contact, according to Hidalgo County Jail records.

Amorim is an associate professor of string instruments and double bass at the UTRGV Music School and directs the annual Long live the soil! South Texas Double Bass Festival, according to his biography on the university website.

According to the university administration, Amorim has been under investigation for these allegations since 2023.

A criminal complaint obtained by ValleyCentral details the timeline of the attack: It began in August 2021 and was not reported until two years later.

The student reported that Amorim touched, groped, caressed and massaged her over her clothes without her consent in 2021. In the following year, the assaults became increasingly obscene.

In August 2022, despite their objections, Amorim forcibly removed their clothes and performed cunnilingus movements on them, the student stated.

In January 2023, Amorim allegedly forced the student to touch him after she said no, the indictment says.

The complaint states that the sexual assaults took place in Amorim’s office at the UTRGV Performing Arts Complex.

According to the complaint, Amorim scheduled one-hour private lessons with his students twice a week. The assaults took place during these private lessons.

According to the complaint, the students stated that they did not report the sexual assault before August 30, 2023, for fear of failing Professor Amorim.

ValleyCentral reached out to UTRGV regarding the arrest and received the following statement:

“The UTRGV Police Department has completed its investigation into allegations of sexual assault against Professor George Amorim,” said Patrick Gonzales, UTRGV spokesperson. “Arrest warrants for sexual assault (2nd degree felony) and indecent assault (Class A misdemeanor) have been issued. Dr. Amorim, who has been on investigative leave since August 30, 2023, turned himself in at our Edinburg station on Tuesday (June 18) and will be arraigned in Edinburg Municipal Court.

“The safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff is of utmost importance to us. We are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for our community and will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement throughout this process.”

The accusation of sexual assault against the music professor is a second-degree felony that, if convicted, can carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Amorim was released from the Hidalgo County Jail the day after his arrest. His bail was set at $16,500.