A Shallowater Independent School District teacher who was placed on leave in February has now been charged with sexually abusing two students he allegedly groomed online, and authorities believe he may have targeted more girls.
Joseph Macaulay Gonzalez, 27, was arrested and charged with two counts of continuous sexual abuse, a first-degree felony punishable by up to life in prison.
He was booked into the Lubbock County Detention Center on March 12. Bond was set at $500,000.
Gonzalez was an assistant band director at Shallowater ISD at the time of the alleged offenses.
The school district placed Gonzalez on leave February 3 after allegations arose of an “inappropriate relationship” with a student but did not identify the suspect at that time.
The Shallowater ISD Police Department investigated the allegations, along with the Texas Department of Public Safety and child advocates.
According to a report by Everything Lubbock, an arrest affidavit states that two female students accused Gonzalez of engaging in sexual intercourse with them after initiating “relationships” online.
One student told investigators that in May 2024, while Gonzalez was her teacher, he began messaging her on Facebook. The two then exchanged nude photos via the Snapchat app—described by experts as “very predator friendly”—until around December 2025.
The student alleged that Gonzalez had sex with her on multiple occasions in the Shallowater ISD band hall.
A second student told authorities that Gonzalez started communicating with her in 2023 through the school-approved Remind app. In the summer of 2025, the teacher began messaging the girl by phone and through the Discord app, where the two exchanged explicit photos and videos.
Gonzalez also allegedly had sexual contact with this student multiple times, starting in December 2025.
Authorities stated that searches of the teacher’s and second student’s cell phones revealed evidence of the online exchanges.
Investigators believe Gonzalez may have more victims and are asking anyone with information to contact the Texas Rangers at (806) 740-8975.
“Student and staff safety remain our top priority,” Shallowater ISD wrote in a statement following Gonzalez’s arrest. “Although personnel matters are confidential by law, the District can confirm that the situation has been handled promptly and in accordance with district policy and legal requirements.”
Gonzalez is no longer listed in the district’s staff directory.
He began working for Shallowater ISD in the 2023-24 school year and previously worked as an assistant band director at Monterey High School in Lubbock ISD during the 2022-23 school year.
Gonzalez does not appear to hold a Texas teaching certificate.
He is among hundreds of Texas school employees accused of sex crimes involving students and other children in just the past few years. Thousands have been reported to the Texas Education Agency for sexual misconduct.
