Las Cruces teacher might have known prosecutor who gave him plea deal [Video]

A Las Cruces High School teacher — who admitted to fondling his students and was able to avoid the sex offender registry — might have known one of the prosecutors who gave him a plea deal, Target 7 has learned.In 2021, Patrick Howard pleaded guilty to two charges stemming from him sexually touching two students. He was sentenced to five years probation and once he served it, he would no longer be considered a convicted felon and legally could teach again.Two weeks after a federal civil jury awarded one of the victims more than $40 million, Dona Ana County Judge Douglas Driggers dismissed the final two years of Howard’s probation. The victims were never notified his probation would be dismissed, which is a violation of the state’s Victims’ Rights Act, according to New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez.Torrez filed a complaint with the New Mexico Supreme Court, which ordered Howard …