A Houston ISD teacher charged with having an improper sexual relationship with a student is scheduled to appear in court next month, according to court records.
Jesse Sifuentes, 40, was accused of having sex with a student at least eight times in 2024 when she was 18 and he was her teacher at the High School for Law and Justice, records said. He was arrested July 19, and his arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 19 in the 339th Criminal District Court.
Texas law prohibits teachers from having sex with students enrolled at their school, including students who are 18, with few exceptions. The crime is a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
“Houston ISD is aware of the arrest of a staff member in connection with alleged misconduct,” the district wrote in a statement. “The safety and well-being of our students are our highest priorities. As soon as the allegations came to the District’s attention in April, the individual was immediately removed from the classroom and has not been on campus, around students, or involved in school activities since that time. HISD Police and district administration are actively investigating this matter.”
A Houston ISD police officer began investigating after the former student reported Sifuentes in April.
Court documents allege that sexual contact began in March 2024, about two weeks after the student turned 18. Sifuentes also supervised the student during her free period and oversaw a school club in which she participated, according to records.
The officer reviewed more than 400 messages exchanged during the alleged relationship. The communications included explicit messages and nude photos and videos of the former student, records said.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office filed the criminal complaint against Sifuentes on July 9. Sifuentes posted bond set at $45,000 on July 21.
The district said it could not provide more information because the investigation was ongoing.
MD Legal Group, the firm where Sifuentes’ court-appointed defense attorney Myrecia C. Donaldson works, did not return a request for comment.