US Teacher Faces Multiple Charges of Sexual Abuse Against Minors

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A former substitute physical education teacher from Reno, Nevada, has been charged with serious offences involving the sexual abuse of minors, following a report by a female relative to local authorities. Taji Hillson, aged 62, was arrested on July 2 by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) on one count of sexual assault against a minor under 14, one count of sexual assault, and three counts of lewdness with a minor under 14, according to public records.

Hillson, who worked at Roy Gomm Elementary School in the Washoe County School District from September 2022 until June 2025, allegedly admitted to drugging and inappropriately touching multiple children, including family members, over several years. The Reno Police Department released an arrest report on Friday, as reported by KOLO News 8, with Hillson’s bail set at $5 million.

The case came to light on April 30 when an adult female relative reported Hillson to the authorities, alleging decades of sexual abuse that began in childhood and persisted into adulthood. According to the sexual assault report, the relative described waking to find Hillson “hovering over her” during incidents where she felt drugged, often with Benadryl. The relative provided police with text messages in which Hillson reportedly acknowledged drugging and inappropriately touching her.

Over the following two months, the relative submitted four additional complaints, each supported by further text exchanges in which Hillson admitted to abusing other children. In a police interview on June 25, as cited by PEOPLE, Hillson confessed to drugging and harassing her cousin, including incidents of penetration when the victim was around eight years old. She further admitted to continuing the abuse when the relative returned from college in 2014. Hillson also disclosed sexually touching a neighbour’s two-year-old child at a public pool in recent years, along with at least a dozen other children, most of whom were relatives.

According to the arrest report, Hillson claimed her actions stemmed from a desire to feel “seen” and to be close to others. This explanation has done little to mitigate the gravity of the charges, which have shocked the local community and raised concerns about safeguarding in schools.

Hillson’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 22, as reported by the Reno Gazette-Journal. The case underscores the critical need for robust vetting and oversight in educational institutions to protect vulnerable children from predators. As the legal process unfolds, the focus remains on delivering justice for the victims and ensuring such abuses are not repeated.