An El Paso teacher accused of sexually grooming and abusing a 12-year-old student was arrested twice in one week by Socorro Independent School District police and charged with multiple felony sex crimes.
Explicit text messages found on the student’s phone allegedly show the teacher telling the girl he wanted to treat her like a “sex slave.”
Llojan Almaraz, 28, has taught math at Clarke Middle School in Socorro ISD since 2021.
District police first arrested Almaraz on September 13. He was charged with one count each of child grooming and improper relationship between educator and student and two counts each of indecency with a child and sexual performance by a child.
He was booked into the El Paso County Jail and released on bond totaling $150,000.
Almaraz was arrested again on September 20 and charged with two counts of online solicitation of a minor.
He was again booked into the jail and then released on bond totaling $80,000.
The El Paso Times reported that according to a complaint affidavit, the school principal told Socorro ISD police on August 28 that Almaraz had been “improperly communicating with a female student” in his class.
The affidavit also revealed:
— The alleged victim stated during a forensic interview that she met Almaraz around October 2023 during volleyball season when she was 12 years old.
— The girl said she first connected with her teacher through SportsYou—an app used for communication between school coaches, student-athletes, and parents—then by telephone calls and text messages.
— The victim told investigators she and Almaraz met twice in June at an apartment complex where she and her mother lived. She alleged they kissed and touched in the back seat of his truck, and Almaraz exposed himself and forced her to perform a sexual act, but they did not have sex.
— The victim’s mother told investigators that Almaraz sent her daughter pictures of his penis and texted the girl that he wanted to treat her like a “sex slave” and get her pregnant.
— Investigators searched the victim’s phone and found explicit text messages from a phone number belonging to Almaraz, some describing sexual acts he wanted to perform on her in his classroom, as well as money transfers from Almaraz to the girl.
— The victim’s mother also said Almaraz bought gifts for her daughter.
— A former student of Almaraz told investigators he had messaged her via SportsYou, given her gifts, and called her his “number one.” The girl said she felt she was being “groomed” by Almaraz and stopped communicating with him.
Socorro ISD released a brief statement indicating that Almaraz is on administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing, adding “We are unable to release any information at this time.”
State records show Almaraz was certified to teach math in May 2021. His educator certificate remains valid but indicates he is under review by the Texas Education Agency.
Almaraz is among dozens of Texas teachers charged each year with sex crimes involving students and other children.
