A second sex crime charge involving a student has been filed against Diego Barona, a now-former special education aide at Legacy High School in Mansfield Independent School District, according to school officials.
On Thursday, Principal Stephanie Bonneau notified Legacy families that “an additional charge of improper relationship between educator and student has been filed and an additional arrest warrant has been issued for Mr. Barona.”
Improper relationship between educator and student is a second-degree felony, regardless of the student’s age.
Barona, 35, was first arrested on February 22 and charged with sexual assault of a child younger than 17 years of age—also a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
That complaint alleged Barona had sexual contact with a student in January.
Parents weren’t notified about Barona’s arrest or the charges against him until a month later, on March 23, after Mansfield mom Myra Castles posted about it on social media.
Castles predicted more allegations would follow.
As of Thursday night, Tarrant County court records showed Barona had not yet been arrested for the new charge.
Bonneau asked anyone with information about the ongoing investigation into Barona to contact Mansfield ISD police at 817-299-6000.
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