A former secretary for the assistant principal at a high school in south Texas was arrested Friday for allegedly performing sexual acts on a student.
Samantha Lee Carranza, who worked at Sharyland High School in Mission, was arrested on charges of sexual assault of a child and improper relationship between an educator and student.
According to a probable cause affidavit reported by KRGV News, a 16-year-old student—identified under the pseudonym “Cris”—reported sexual assault by a school employee to Mission Police Department on September 1.
The student told the Mission PD that on August 31, he went to the assistant principal’s office to borrow a cell phone charger. The principal’s secretary, identified as Carranza, allowed him to use the charger but said he had to stay near her desk.
Carranza then sparked a conversation about her family and current divorce. Cris claims she showed him a photo of her breasts, making him uncomfortable. When he attempted to leave, he reported that Carranza stopped him.
“Cris explains he started walking toward the door of the conference room, and the defendant proceeds to close the door and tell him ‘you’re not going anywhere,'” stated the affidavit.
Cris explained to the officer that Carranza began performing sexual acts on him, then threatened him, saying she would ‘blame it all on him’ if he said anything.
In a statement from Sharyland Independent School District, spokeswoman Nancy Barboza told Channel 5 News that Carraza worked for the district as a paraprofessional until September 7, 2023.
She said the district is working with multiple agencies, including the Texas Education Agency and Child Protective Services, in the ongoing investigation. They also requested any additional questions be directed to the Mission Police Department, as the lead agency overseeing the ongoing investigation.
“Our unwavering commitment is to providing a safe and nurturing environment for every member of the SISD community. The district has a strict zero-tolerance policy when it comes to inappropriate behavior between staff and students.” Barboza added.
According to Mission police, Carranza turned herself in on Friday. Hidalgo County Jail records show that her bond was set at $10,000—$5,000 per offense—and she was booked and released on the same day.
Public Information Officer Art Flores for Mission PD told Texas Scorecard that the investigation is ongoing and the Mission Police department is here to protect all children.
Texas Scorecard has reported on predators in government schools—more “bad apples” are being charged almost every day.
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