A high school teacher in the Andrews Independent School District was charged with soliciting a minor for sex. In unrelated misconduct incidents, three past district teachers are under investigation and another was put on leave.
Christopher Leggett Cleveland was arrested Friday, August 28, on a charge of online solicitation of a minor, a third-degree felony.
Cleveland is an ag science teacher at Andrews High School.
Andrews ISD released a statement Friday indicating that Cleveland was taken into custody on campus and that the district’s internal police department was handling the matter.
The Andrews ISD Police Department also released a statement confirming Cleveland’s arrest.
According to Chief Daryl Cunningham, his department arrested Cleveland on an outstanding warrant issued in connection with an investigation in Arlington, Texas, after being contacted by the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force.
Cunningham directed requests for additional information to the Arlington Police Department.
“The safety and security of our students, staff, and the entire Andrews ISD community remain our highest priority,” added Cunningham.
Cleveland was booked into the Andrews County Jail on August 28 and released the next day on a $50,000 bond.
Andrews ISD is a six-school district in West Texas near Midland-Odessa.
Online records show that over the past decade Cleveland previously worked for three other West Texas districts—Whiteface CISD, Plains ISD, and Seagraves ISD—and for East Central ISD in San Antonio.
Cleveland has been certified to teach vocational agricultural production since 2005.
Additional Investigations
On the same day of Cleveland’s arrest, Andrews ISD officials also announced they had been investigating another district employee over a “situation that occurred during the summer months” involving a just-graduated student.
Chief Cunningham stated that district administrators learned about the allegations on August 17 and “promptly” notified the Andrews ISD Police Department “to review the information provided and determine whether further investigation was warranted.”
On August 28—11 days after the initial misconduct allegations were reported to district officials—Cunningham stated that “there has been no evidence identified that supports a belief that a criminal offense was committed.”
The district also released an August 28 “update” stating that the employee had been placed on leave during the investigation, but the district “found no evidence that any inappropriate conduct or relationship occurred while the individual was enrolled as a student.”
At this time law enforcement has advised the District that no criminal investigation or legal action is warranted. Based on the District’s investigation, there is no evidence of conduct involving a student that would require a report under applicable Texas educator-misconduct reporting requirements.
However, an educator misconduct reporting law known as Senate Bill 571, which took effect in June 2025, requires suspected sexual misconduct to be reported to authorities within 24 hours of first learning about the concern and to the Texas Education Agency within 48 hours.
The law also broadened the types of misconduct that must be reported to include boundary violations and inappropriate communications.
TEA specifically instructs that school staff “must not try to confirm or rule out abuse before reporting … When in doubt, report.”
In addition, school district police departments are specifically excluded from the list of qualifying law enforcement agencies recognized for reporting purposes.
Andrews ISD established its own police department in early 2026 after school board members approved the move in November 2025.
Local families know the identity of the teacher who was under investigation. His teaching certification confirms district officials did not report him to the TEA, but parents say they may submit complaints directly.
Three other educators who left Andrews ISD in spring 2026 are under investigation by the TEA.
John David Carranco, 43, had worked for Andrews ISD for more than a decade, as a teacher, principal, and most recently the district’s Director of Student Services. Carranco is a pastor at Impact City Church in Odessa.
Carranco’s Texas teaching certificate is “under review” by the TEA’s Educator Investigations Division.
Coach Ashley Dyches, 36, was hired by Gregory-Portland ISD last school year to be the head high school volleyball coach. Dyches’ certification is also under review by the TEA.
Haley Jean Morgan, 33, had taught in Andrews ISD since the 2020-21 school year. State records show Morgan does not hold a Texas teaching certificate. She now works as an elementary school special education teacher in Seminole ISD.
Carranco, Dyches, and Morgan are all three listed as “under investigation” in the state’s Do Not Hire Registry.
Misconduct that does not violate criminal law may still run afoul of the Texas Educators Code of Ethics. Violating the code’s enforceable standards can result in disciplinary action including loss of teaching credentials.
One parent told Texas Scorecard she reached out directly to an Andrews ISD school board member regarding the district’s “dismissed” investigation, but her concerns were also dismissed.
She said district police concluded no criminal investigation was warranted because “dating an adult graduate” is not a crime. But she noted it is still a “massive” Code of Ethics violation “if the relationship was groomed or initiated before graduation.”
Andrews ISD families with questions or concerns may contact Superintendent Bobby Azam and/or their elected school board members.
In the past few years, hundreds of Texas school employees have been accused of sex crimes involving students and other children, and thousands have been reported to the TEA for sexual misconduct.
The TEA’s Educator Misconduct Reporting Dashboard shows the agency is currently investigating more than 2,700 sexual misconduct complaints and opening an average of 250 new cases each month.
