A Sealy Independent School District teacher is accused of engaging in inappropriate sexual communications with a teenage student.
Juan Gerardo Perez, 63, was arrested and charged with child grooming, a third-degree felony punishable by 2 to 10 years in prison.
According to Sealy Police Chief Russell Grimes, the school district’s police referred the case to the Sealy Police Department on November 1.
“Per the recent Senate Bill 571, the school is required to make a report to an outside law enforcement agency,” Grimes wrote in a November 5 press statement.
Grimes said Perez was taken into custody following an investigation and consultation with the Austin County District Attorney’s Office.
Perez was booked into the Austin County Jail on November 5 and released on a $50,000 bond.
Superintendent Bryan Hallmark issued a statement following Perez’s arrest, which occurred a day after Sealy ISD voters approved a 3-cent tax rate increase.
“Sealy ISD is aware of an ongoing law enforcement investigation into alleged inappropriate communications with a high school student, which resulted in the arrest of a former district employee, Juan Perez, on charges of Child Grooming,” wrote Hallmark.
When the District became aware of the alleged misconduct, the District immediately placed the individual on administrative leave and made timely reports to all required law enforcement and state agencies. The District is fully cooperating with all agencies and will continue to do so to ensure that the matter is handled appropriately. As this is an ongoing investigation, by law, the District is unable to comment further on this matter.
Hallmark added that “the safety and well-being of Sealy ISD students remain our top priority.”
The Sealy Police Department is continuing to investigate Perez and urges anyone with information to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at 979-885-2913.
Perez has been certified to teach Spanish and English as a Second Language since 2001. His current teaching certificate is under review by the Texas Education Agency.
Hundreds of Texas educators have been accused of sex crimes involving students and other minors in just the past few years, and thousands have been reported to the TEA for sexual misconduct.
