SEALY - Sealy Police Chief Russell Grimes issued a press re - lease stating the Sealy Police De -
partment arrested a former Sealy ISD teacher following an investi - gation into an improper relation - ship allegation between the teach -
er and a teenage student. On Nov.
1, the Sealy ISD Police Depart - ment referred a case involving the teacher, Juan Gerardo Perez, 63, to the Sealy Police Department. All schools are required to make a report, per the recent Senate Bill
571, to an outside law enforcement agency. After an investigation by the Sealy PD and, in consultation with the Austin County District Attor - ney's Office, an arrest warrant was issued for Perez for the offense of Child Grooming, a Third-Degree Felony under Texas law. Perez was arrested and booked into the Austin County Jail in Bellville. He was later released on a $50,000 bond. The Sealy PD continues its investigation.
Sealy ISD Superintendent Bry - an Hallmark says that the district is fully aware of the situation and the district took immediate action and placed Perez on administra - tive leave and made timely reports to all required law enforcement agencies. While giving full coop -
eration to all agencies, the district is unable to make further com - ments due to this being an ongoing investigation. Hallmark also made clear that the safety and well-be - ing of Sealy ISD students remain the district's top priority.
Perez has been a Spanish and English teacher as a second lan -
guage since 2001.
The Sealy PD requests that any -
one with information related to this investigation please immedi - ately contact the Sealy Police De - partment's Criminal Investigations Division at 979-885-2913.
The suspect is presumed inno -
cent until proven guilty by a court of law.
