Real estate agent faces charges of child sex assault
Santa Fe real estate agent Christopher Harris is facing charges of child rape after a young male relative claimed Harris had assaulted him in a Santa Fe home in 2016.
According to an affidavit for Harris’ arrest filed in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court, police started investigating allegations against Harris in late May, after a woman told crisis treatment workers in Santa Fe that Harris had abused her children in Virginia Beach, Va., years ago.
Santa Fe police assisting with the Virginia Beach investigation also learned that a teenage relative of Harris had accused the man of assaulting him in Santa Fe more than two years ago, the affidavit says. The New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department forwarded a report of the sexual abuse allegations to police in late July, according to the affidavit.
Henry Varela, a spokesman for the state child welfare agency, confirmed Tuesday the department had investigated the boy’s report of abuse and said the investigation is closed.
Harris, 53, was arrested in late August on charges of criminal sexual penetration and criminal sexual contact of a minor and was released from the Santa
Fe County jail on an unsecured bond of $25,000, court and jail records show. His case is pending in Magistrate Court.
According to Harris’ website, CJH realestate.com, Harris sells properties in both Santa Fe and Albuquerque and is a real estate coach and mentor.
He also is a former Navy commander with 24 years of active service, the website says, and is the father of eight children and a grandfather of two.
Harris’ lawyer, Kitren Fischer of the Dan Cron Law Firm, said the allegations are false. Fischer argued the claims of sexual abuse are an attempt to influence a custody case involving Harris’ children.
One of Harris’ children, Olivia Harris, told
that she and her mother and siblings are distanced from Christopher Harris and are supporting the young people accusing him of assault.
“The allegations are 100 percent true, and we as a family are sticking together and coming out stronger because of this,” Olivia Harris said. “… We don’t find what he’s done, in any way, OK.”