New Mexico AG Announces 30-Year Sentence for Child Sexual Assault by Occupational Therapist

AG: New Mexico Press Releases

Filed September 15th, 2025

Detected March 21st, 2026

Summary

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced a 30-year sentence for Jared Cordum, a Clovis occupational therapist convicted of sexually assaulting multiple young boys. Cordum abused his professional position to commit these crimes, and the sentence includes lifetime sex offender registration.

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What changed

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced the sentencing of Jared Cordum, an occupational therapist, to 30 years in prison for multiple counts of child sexual assault. Cordum pleaded guilty to charges including Criminal Sexual Contact of a Minor and Manufacturing Visual Medium of Sexual Exploitation of Children. The sentence, imposed by Judge Drew D. Tatum, also includes indeterminate sex offender probation and parole for 55.5 years and lifetime sex offender registration.

This case highlights the severe consequences for professionals who abuse their positions of trust, particularly when targeting vulnerable children. The New Mexico Department of Justice's investigation, initiated after allegations from parents, confirmed Cordum violated the standard of care for occupational therapy. The guilty plea spared the victims the trauma of a trial. Compliance officers in healthcare settings should be aware of the critical importance of safeguarding vulnerable populations and the severe penalties associated with professional misconduct and abuse.

What to do next

Review professional licensing and ethical conduct standards for healthcare providers.
Ensure robust safeguarding policies are in place to protect vulnerable patients, especially children.
Report any suspected abuse or violation of professional standards immediately to relevant authorities.

Penalties

30-year prison sentence, indeterminate sex offender probation and parole for a total jurisdiction of 55.5 years, lifetime sex offender registration.

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New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez Announces 30-Year Sentence for Jared Cordum, Clovis Occupational Therapist Guilty of Multiple Counts of Child Sexual Assault

September 15, 2025

Clovis, NM – New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez today announced that Jared Cordum, a Clovis occupational therapist, was sentenced to 30 years – the legal maximum – for sexually assaulting multiple young boys under the guise of providing therapy for behavioral and physical disabilities.

“Today, Jared Cordum is being held accountable for his despicable actions against vulnerable children and their families,” Torrez said. “Cordum abused his position as a licensed occupational therapist to gain access to these children, and this lengthy prison sentence reflects both the severity of his crimes and the lasting impacts of those violations of trust.

“I am relieved that Cordum’s guilty pleas has spared these young victims and their families the trauma of testifying in a court trial,” Torrez added. “By ensuring that he will spend many years in prison, followed by strict probation, the New Mexico Department of Justice is holding Cordum accountable for his crimes and preventing further abuse.”

In June of this year, Cordum pleaded guilty to multiple felonies:

Two counts of Criminal Sexual Contact of a Minor in the Second Degree (Child under 13) (Unclothed), which are second-degree felony sexual offenses;
Two counts of Criminal Sexual Contact of a Minor in the Third Degree (Child Under 13) (Clothed), which are third-degree felony sexual offenses;
One count of Manufacturing Visual Medium of Sexual Exploitation of Children, a second-degree felony; and,
One count of Voyeurism (Victim Under 18), a fourth-degree felony. Cordum’s sentence, imposed today by 9th Judicial District Judge Drew D. Tatum in the Curry County Courthouse in Clovis, NM, includes indeterminate sex offender probation and parole for a total jurisdiction of 55.5 years, as well as lifetime sex offender registration.

Special Agents from the New Mexico Department of Justice (NMDOJ) arrested Cordum at his residence in Clovis on July 9, 2024. The NMDOJ was called in to assist in the investigation following multiple allegations by parents and guardians to local police that Cordum was sexually abusing their children during his visits to their homes to provide occupational therapy. The parents reported that Cordum’s so-called “treatment” of their children seemed bizarre and sexual in nature. In several incidents, the parents were actually present and witnessed the abuse of the children.

Although several of the children had been referred to Cordum by local pediatricians and day care centers for therapy related to physical and behavioral disabilities and disorders, investigators confirmed that Cordum’s actions clearly violated the standard of care for occupational therapy. Cordum has been incarcerated since his arrest.