Investigators running an online sex crimes sting have nabbed a girls’ basketball and track coach from Lasara Independent School District in South Texas’ Rio Grande Valley for attempting to meet up with a 15-year-old girl in Houston.
Miguel Angel Carlos, 46, is charged with two counts of online solicitation of a minor, a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison.
Carlos was arrested Thursday in Harlingen, and a judge set his bond at $500,000—$250,000 for each criminal count. He is being transported back to Houston for prosecution.
Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen, whose officers investigated Carlos, reports that the coach was caught in a sting operation run by Houston’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
For several months, the Lasara ISD girls coach was allegedly engaged in online conversations with who he thought was a 15 year old girl. … The defendant was actually talking with one of our undercover officers and was making plans to meet up with the minor in Houston.
Lasara ISD is located in Willacy County and has two schools serving fewer than 400 students in pre-K through 12th grade.
According to Rosen, Lasara ISD told investigators that Carlos is not a teacher.
Rosen said Carlos is married with two children.
“Please keep an eye on your child’s online activity,” Rosen said. “These criminals are master manipulators.”
Texas Scorecard has reported on dozens of Texas educators accused of sex crimes involving students and other minors, and more “bad apples” are being charged almost every day.
