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Former Frisco teacher indicted for inappropriate relationship: Encounters allegedly occurred at Plano apartment building
By Bill Conrad, bconrad@starlocalnews.com
A former Frisco ISD band director was indicted this week for having a sexual relationship with a student.
Jason Marcus Gonzalez, 37, a former assistant band director at Frisco Liberty High School, was arrested on Jan. 19 and has been charged with having an improper relationship between a teacher and a student, a second-degree felony. If convicted, Gonzalez could serve 2 to 20 years in prison.
According to court documents filed by the Plano Police Department, Gonzalez and the victim, who was a senior at Liberty and a member of the school's band, began their relationship in November 2008, when the victim entered Gonzalez's office at the school and he kissed her. During the 2009 spring semester, the victim said she visited Gonzalez at his apartment, located in northwest Plano, and that the two would have sex. The documents report that the relationship continued at least until May 2009.
The victim initially reported the incident to police in December 2011. She said she was at the apartment in May 2009, when Liberty Band Director Alyson Keller came over and found her hiding in a closet. Documents show that Keller admitted to detectives that she found the victim in the closet, but no mention is made as to whether Keller reported the incident to her superiors, or to the police.
No date of birth is given for the victim, who the documents show as being 21 years old when she first spoke with police. Even if she was of legal age at the time of the alleged relationship with Gonzalez, a Texas law passed in 2003 makes it is illegal for an employee of a public or private primary or secondary school to engage in sexual contact with a person who is enrolled at the school in which the employee works. The legal age of consent in Texas is 17, but the law makes it a crime for sexual contact to occur between an educator and student, regardless of the student's age.
Frisco ISD spokeswoman Shana Wortham said the district was notified by police of the investigation and cooperated fully with law enforcement officials. She said Gonzalez was placed on leave when the district was alerted to the investigation, and he resigned his position on Jan. 26. Keller resigned on Jan. 17, citing personal reasons. Her resignation came on the same date the arrest warrant was issued for Gonzalez.
"The district concluded its [own] investigation and did not find evidence that indicated that any current student was impacted by the allegations," Wortham said in an emailed statement. "The safety and welfare of students is our priority, and the district took all appropriate actions/reporting measures, as required by law."
The State Board for Educator Certification shows that Gonzalez still has a valid license to teach music in all grade levels, but notes he is currently under investigation by the board's professional discipline unit.
Jason Marcus Gonzalez, 37, a former assistant band director at Frisco Liberty High School, was arrested on Jan. 19 and has been charged with having an improper relationship between a teacher and a student, a second-degree felony. If convicted, Gonzalez could serve 2 to 20 years in prison.
According to court documents filed by the Plano Police Department, Gonzalez and the victim, who was a senior at Liberty and a member of the school's band, began their relationship in November 2008, when the victim entered Gonzalez's office at the school and he kissed her. During the 2009 spring semester, the victim said she visited Gonzalez at his apartment, located in northwest Plano, and that the two would have sex. The documents report that the relationship continued at least until May 2009.
The victim initially reported the incident to police in December 2011. She said she was at the apartment in May 2009, when Liberty Band Director Alyson Keller came over and found her hiding in a closet. Documents show that Keller admitted to detectives that she found the victim in the closet, but no mention is made as to whether Keller reported the incident to her superiors, or to the police.
No date of birth is given for the victim, who the documents show as being 21 years old when she first spoke with police. Even if she was of legal age at the time of the alleged relationship with Gonzalez, a Texas law passed in 2003 makes it is illegal for an employee of a public or private primary or secondary school to engage in sexual contact with a person who is enrolled at the school in which the employee works. The legal age of consent in Texas is 17, but the law makes it a crime for sexual contact to occur between an educator and student, regardless of the student's age.
Frisco ISD spokeswoman Shana Wortham said the district was notified by police of the investigation and cooperated fully with law enforcement officials. She said Gonzalez was placed on leave when the district was alerted to the investigation, and he resigned his position on Jan. 26. Keller resigned on Jan. 17, citing personal reasons. Her resignation came on the same date the arrest warrant was issued for Gonzalez.
"The district concluded its [own] investigation and did not find evidence that indicated that any current student was impacted by the allegations," Wortham said in an emailed statement. "The safety and welfare of students is our priority, and the district took all appropriate actions/reporting measures, as required by law."
The State Board for Educator Certification shows that Gonzalez still has a valid license to teach music in all grade levels, but notes he is currently under investigation by the board's professional discipline unit.
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