Woman allegedly had sexual contact with 5th-graders in theaters, class
By ROBERT CROWE
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
A flirtatious Brandy Lynn Gonzales lured five boys from her fifth-grade classes into sexual acts at movie theaters, her apartment and even her classroom, prosecutors said Thursday.
At least one student was taken to her apartment, where he was sexually assaulted by Gonzales, 27, and her husband, Johnny Gonzales, 31, said Assistant Harris County District Attorney Denise Oncken.
"Evidently, according to the victims, she was quite a flirt in the classroom," Oncken said.
A judge set bail at $320,000 Thursday for the former teacher charged with sexually abusing five students at Piney Point Elementary School in 2004. Wearing an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs, Gonzales, 27, looked at the floor as she shuffled into state District Judge Michael McSpadden's court for a brief probable-cause hearing.
The charges involve four students in the same fifth-grade class and a fifth boy from a different class.
The students alleged that Gonzales would touch them under desks during class.
That behavior escalated when she invited them to the movies.
"Several of the kids would actually see what was going on with other boys at movie theaters as well as in the classroom," Oncken said.
The boys' parents often dropped off their sons at the theater, assuming Gonzales was a good teacher reaching out to their children, Oncken said.
Gonzales was charged with three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Bail was set at $50,000 each for two of the counts and $200,000 for the third count.
On two additional counts of indecency involving a child, bail was set at $10,000 each.
Her husband waived his probable-cause hearing. He is in the Harris County Jail on $200,000 bond and charged with one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child, along with one charge of failure to report sexual abuse of a child. His court date was reset for Jan. 12, when Brandy Gonzales also is scheduled to appear again.
Theater encounters
Oncken said Brandy Gonzales met a student on Feb. 1, 2004, at a Sharpstown-area movie theater, where she allegedly performed oral sex on the boy. She allegedly also performed oral sex on another male student in the theater.
Another male student said that he had inappropriate contact with the woman inside her classroom on Feb. 5, 2004.
An aggravated sexual assault charge stems from an alleged June 1, 2004, encounter in which Gonzales performed oral sex on a boy before having intercourse with him, Oncken said.
The husband also allegedly performed sex acts on the boy, the prosecutor said.
"It's my understanding that both of them were engaging in sexual acts with one of the victims at their residence," Oncken said.
Prosecutors said they know of more cases with each of the current five victims. They have enough information to file more charges on other sexual encounters between the couple and children.
"There were multiple offenses against the victims," Oncken said.
Authorities are encouraging anyone who may have been assaulted by the couple to come forward. She had worked at numerous schools before teaching at Piney Point.
By ROBERT CROWE
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
A flirtatious Brandy Lynn Gonzales lured five boys from her fifth-grade classes into sexual acts at movie theaters, her apartment and even her classroom, prosecutors said Thursday.
At least one student was taken to her apartment, where he was sexually assaulted by Gonzales, 27, and her husband, Johnny Gonzales, 31, said Assistant Harris County District Attorney Denise Oncken.
"Evidently, according to the victims, she was quite a flirt in the classroom," Oncken said.
A judge set bail at $320,000 Thursday for the former teacher charged with sexually abusing five students at Piney Point Elementary School in 2004. Wearing an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs, Gonzales, 27, looked at the floor as she shuffled into state District Judge Michael McSpadden's court for a brief probable-cause hearing.
The charges involve four students in the same fifth-grade class and a fifth boy from a different class.
The students alleged that Gonzales would touch them under desks during class.
That behavior escalated when she invited them to the movies.
"Several of the kids would actually see what was going on with other boys at movie theaters as well as in the classroom," Oncken said.
The boys' parents often dropped off their sons at the theater, assuming Gonzales was a good teacher reaching out to their children, Oncken said.
Gonzales was charged with three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Bail was set at $50,000 each for two of the counts and $200,000 for the third count.
On two additional counts of indecency involving a child, bail was set at $10,000 each.
Her husband waived his probable-cause hearing. He is in the Harris County Jail on $200,000 bond and charged with one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child, along with one charge of failure to report sexual abuse of a child. His court date was reset for Jan. 12, when Brandy Gonzales also is scheduled to appear again.
Theater encounters
Oncken said Brandy Gonzales met a student on Feb. 1, 2004, at a Sharpstown-area movie theater, where she allegedly performed oral sex on the boy. She allegedly also performed oral sex on another male student in the theater.
Another male student said that he had inappropriate contact with the woman inside her classroom on Feb. 5, 2004.
An aggravated sexual assault charge stems from an alleged June 1, 2004, encounter in which Gonzales performed oral sex on a boy before having intercourse with him, Oncken said.
The husband also allegedly performed sex acts on the boy, the prosecutor said.
"It's my understanding that both of them were engaging in sexual acts with one of the victims at their residence," Oncken said.
Prosecutors said they know of more cases with each of the current five victims. They have enough information to file more charges on other sexual encounters between the couple and children.
"There were multiple offenses against the victims," Oncken said.
Authorities are encouraging anyone who may have been assaulted by the couple to come forward. She had worked at numerous schools before teaching at Piney Point.
