McAllen school teacher charged with molesting young relative

PHARR — A McAllen elementary school teacher posted bail Friday morning after he was arrested earlier this week for allegedly molesting an underage relative at his Pharr home.

Pharr police said Jose Antonio Esqueda, a 37-year-old teacher at Crockett Elementary School in McAllen, molested the pre-teen girl in early July and willingly turned himself in for arrest Wednesday.

Pharr Municipal Judge Rudy Martinez arraigned Esqueda on Thursday on a charge of indecency with a child, a first-degree felony. He was transferred to the Hidalgo County Jail later that day.

If convicted, Esqueda could face up to life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Investigators took up the case after the Child Advocacy Center in Edinburg interviewed the young girl, who reported Esqueda had molested her while she slept in his home in early July.

Pharr police spokesman Sgt. Santiago Solis said the child is now safe at home with her family.

“It’s going to be a mental scar, though,” he said.

Police and McAllen school district officials were quick to note the incident did not occur on campus and was not related to Esqueda’s position as a schoolteacher.

Police know of no students harmed by the suspect, though Solis said the child’s claims held significant weight with the police department, considering his frequent interaction with young children.

“We take all these cases very seriously, and it doesn’t really matter what profession (the suspect) is in,” Solis said. “Of course, if he has access to children, we’ll take it a bit more seriously to make sure no more children are victimized.”

Norma Zamora-Guerra, community information director with the McAllen school district, said once officials learned of the arrest, the district responded immediately by placing Esqueda on leave until further notice.

“Parents need to know we take this matter very seriously,” she said. “The teacher will not be working with students, pending the results of the investigation.”

Esqueda could not be reached for comment at his Pharr home.

His Texas Educator Certificate was still in good standing as of 6:30 p.m. Friday, according to the website of the State Board for Educator Certification.