PROSECUTING ATTORNEY 101 N.

JEFFERSON, ROOM 306

JACOB W. SHELLABARGER MEXICO, MO 65265-2769
ASSISTANT PROSECUTING ATTORNEY VOICE 573-473-5860
SCOTT E. FOX FAX 573-473-5865
jshellabarger@audraincounty.org
INVESTIGATOR VICTIM ADVOCATE
JACK W. NENGEL LEIGH THOMAS

OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY

Audrain County, Missouri
December 4, 2017
PRESS RELEASE
FORMER MEXICO HIGH SCHOOL BAND DIRECTOR
ROBERT CORTEZ SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON
Audrain County Prosecuting Attorney Jacob Shellabarger announces that Robert Victor Cortez,
44, of Joplin, formerly of Mexico, Mo., after pleading guilty to two counts of Sexual Contact with a
Student, has been sentenced to eight years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, subject to
completion of the Department of Corrections 120-day Sexual Offender Assessment Program inside the
prison. Cortez plead guilty on October 20 to charges stemming from September, 2016. Cortez entered his
pleas of guilty and admitted he committed the crimes against a former Mexico High School student.
Robert Cortezs sentence is firm and the maximum sentence allowable under Missouri law four
years on each count to run consecutive to each other for a total of eight years, Shellabarger said. The
victim and his family felt strongly that Cortez should face a strict and severe punishment, but also to not
serve the maximum sentence unless he violates his probation. Cortez will register as a sex offender and
be subject to an intensive program inside the Department of Corrections where he must face the
consequences of his actions and the damage he has done to this family and our community. If he
successfully completes the program, he has an opportunity to be placed on probation under strict
supervision.
Robert Cortez and his supporters harassed, threatened, demeaned and bullied his victim in this
case using the civil justice system to expose his name, address and information, and put him through an
obviously frivolous civil and administrative lawsuit process in an attempt to shake his and his familys
determination and cooperation, Shellabarger said. Cortez, his wife and supporters used Facebook and
other means to divide this community into Cortezs Army and those who stood with the victim.
By Robert Cortezs own words, all that was a lie, Shellabarger said. Cortez, who protested his
innocence, claiming God was on his side and that the Devil was testing him, and a conspiracy was being
raised against him, used the same tactics abusers use to gain trust.
I dont blame those who stood with Cortez they did not want to believe it because they believed
the lies and didnt know the truth this victim knew that Robert Cortez molested a student who trusted
and liked him, Shellabarger said. The victim told Judge Dalton what Cortez did, how this community
treated him, and how the justice system treated him. His statement tells a narrative that must be heard,
respected and learned from across our community.
In Audrain County, if you commit a sexual assault: no matter who you are, we will find you, we
will thoroughly investigate your case, and you will be prosecuted fully, fairly and without hesitation,
Shellabarger said. This case sharply divided our community between an abuser and his victim. Thank
you to the Mexico Public Safety Department and the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team for a
comprehensive and thorough investigation.
The case number is 16AU-CR00790-01. [Editors Note The Victim Statement is attached.]
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I:

Senior year to me in my mind was my last chance. The last time l would get to enjoy being a kid without
the more pressing matters of life always lingering in my mind. The last chance l would get to be in the

same place with all my friends at the same time before we were all expected to grow up and move on to
bigger better things. l didnt get that. Instead one day l found myself feeling a lot less like a student in his
senior year and more like a victim. Suddenly my plans for the future were put on hold and those friends
said not so tender goodbyes a lot sooner than expected.
And at some point l realized that l wasnt doing this because it benefited me. The worst part about being
victim was Knowing that l wasnt the only one. Knowing that l was not fighting for myself. lf l didnt

speak up it could happen again, to someone who couldnt find their voice.
| did not spend my senior year berated, insulted, treated as an outcast, listening to my closest friends
call me a horrible person(knowingly or not), watching people, family included, avert their eyes out of

pity, disgust or shame, for me. | didnt do it for me. l did it for those people who went through what l
went through before. Yes, those same people | said myself "must be mistaken" and l did it for those
people that couldve come after. l knew that l could handle whatever came and l felt obligated to ensure
no student would have to be victimized as l had been.
,
Mr.Cortez. You lied repeatedly to the many community members who supported you. You led them to

trust you when there was no trust to be had only fabricated lies and malicious rumors. You threw every
obstacle You could conceive in my way, often at my expense and that of my family. You gathered a

group of followers under the name Cortezs Army. And through it all You mocked God saying that he is
on your side. God does not fight alongside the wicked. God will not be mocked.
And throughout this entire year or so l had to find within myself the capacity to forgive. l am in no way

excusing your actions. However you are human and as such you make mistakes.
Always remember. lt is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christs atonement
shines. You are not your mistakes. You are not your flaws. Those things are merely what make each and

every one of us human. We are not defined by our countless errors or failures. We are defined by our
determination to get back up and try again. l have not been sent to earth to judge. l have been asked to
love. Heavenly father loves each and every one of us. Who am l to decide who is deserving of love or

not.
To those who are among my generation and those beyond.
l hope that somehow this reaches the ears of someone who needs to hear it. If you are a victim, speak

up. Tell someone. lf you have ever witnessed someone being victimized, say something. l can say from
personal experience that being a victim, yeah it sucks. However, there are amazing people that will help

you through it. You are not alone. Thank you