UPDATED August 23.
A former Rockport teacher is facing four felony charges after a grand jury heard evidence that he had sex with an underage female student while he was employed at Rockport-Fulton High School. He is also facing a civil lawsuit in the case.
Joshua Nguyen, 42, was indicted on four counts of improper relationship between educator and student, a second-degree felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison.
An Aransas County grand jury returned the indictment on August 6.
Counts one and two of the indictment state that Nguyen had sexual intercourse with the girl two times in May 2025, when she was 16. Counts three and four state that on two other occasions, in May and September of 2025, Nguyen touched the girl’s genitals and breast with intent to arouse or gratify sexual desire.
Nguyen was arrested by the Aransas County Sheriff’s Office and booked into the Aransas County Detention Center on Thursday, August 20.
He was released the same day. Bond was set at $50,000 for the first count and $500 for each of the three other counts.
Nguyen was first arrested in December 2025 and charged with sexual assault of a child (statutory rape) and improper relationship between educator and student. He was released on a $100,000 bond.
From 2022 through 2025, Nguyen was a teacher in the maritime science program that he started in the Rockport-Fulton Independent School District.
He was also the director of Texas Coastal Academy, an after-school maritime vocational program for local students that Nguyen founded with Andrew Kane and Jeff Hutt.
Through the maritime programs, Nguyen had contact with Rockport students off campus, after school hours, and during the summer—including the alleged victim in this case.
Nguyen left the school around September 2025 to work as executive director of the Aransas County Navigation District, which manages coastal facilities in the Rockport area. Josh’s father, Long Nguyen, is an elected ACND commissioner. ACND placed Josh on leave after his December arrest, and commissioners voted in March to fire him, although he is still shown on the district’s website.
One of Nguyen’s younger brothers, Brandon Nguyen, was also arrested on August 20. Brandon was charged with possession with intent to promote child pornography involving the same girl Josh is charged with sexually abusing.
Further evidence located determined Brandon Lee Nguyen clearly was aware of the sexual physical relationship between Joshua Nguyen, as he requested graphic description of the sexual acts having occurred between Joshua Nguyen and DW.
Brandon’s twin brother Brennen Nguyen is named as an “involved party” in the criminal allegations against Brandon, as is Josh.
Josh, Brandon, and Brennen Nguyen are all named in a related sexual abuse lawsuit. Rockport-Fulton ISD, Rockport-Fulton High School Principal Jodi Carter, and Texas Coastal Academy are also named as defendants.
The lawsuit alleges the Nguyen brothers sexually groomed and abused the girl from 2023 through 2025, starting when she was 14 or 15 years old until she was 17, at multiple locations—including at Josh Nguyen’s home when his wife was out of town and aboard a floating fishing cabin operated by Brandon Nguyen called The Office. Brennen Nguyen worked as a fishing guide and shuttle captain for The Office.
Rockport-Fulton ISD and Principal Carter have generally denied any liability, as has Texas Coastal Academy.
The district and Carter, represented by Walsh-Gallegos, asserted a “contributory negligence” defense that the underage student was “in whole or in part” responsible for Josh, an adult school employee, sexually abusing her. Carter remains principal of the high school.
Matt Ocker is representing TCA and Josh Nguyen in the civil suit. Ocker’s wife Susan Ocker is one of the most recently listed TCA board members, along with Jeff Hutt’s wife Christy Hutt and Andrew Kane.
Josh Nguyen denied “each and every allegation.” He also filed a counterclaim for “infliction of emotional distress,” claiming that the student’s “false allegations were the direct cause of Mr. Nguyen losing his six-figure dream job.”
In July, TCA and Josh Nguyen asked the 156th District Court to stay proceedings in the lawsuit until final disposition of all criminal charges against Josh
The Buzbee Law Firm is representing the plaintiff.
“Texas law does not allow a defendant accused of sexually abusing a plaintiff to use an intentional-infliction counterclaim as a retaliatory vehicle against the plaintiff for reporting abuse, participating in an investigation, or pursuing civil claims,” the plaintiff’ responded to Nguyen’s counterclaim.
The next hearing in the civil case is scheduled for September 16.
“Nguyen’s business partners adamantly defend Josh Nguyen and engage in the most disgusting victim shaming and witness intimidation,” Rockport resident Kristie Rutledge posted to X following Nguyen’s latest arrest. “It’s backfiring on them after this indictment.”
Earlier this month, former Cameron County Sheriff Eric Garza posted about the case on social media.
“How many warning signs have to be missed before a school district is held responsible for what happens next?”
