A former Crowley Independent School District teacher is at the center of a criminal investigation after police arrested him this week on multiple felony counts tied to an alleged improper relationship with a student. Ricardo Ortiz, 62, who taught architecture at the Bill R. Johnson Career and Technical Education Center, was booked into the Fort Worth city jail on Thursday and is being held on $125,000 bond. Crowley ISD told families that Ortiz has been removed from any contact with students, is no longer employed by the district, and remains under investigation by law enforcement.
What Texas law says
State law treats sexual relationships between educators and students as serious criminal offenses with steep penalties and tight limits on what schools and police can disclose. Under Texas Penal Code §21.12, an improper relationship between an educator and a student is a second-degree felony, and the name of any student involved generally may not be released to the public.
Arrest and charges
Court records show Ortiz faces four counts of improper relationship between an educator and a student, along with one count of sexual assault. He was booked into the Fort Worth city jail on Thursday, and his bond was set at $125,000, according to the Fort Worth Star‑Telegram. Fort Worth police have declined to release further details, citing the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation.
Crowley ISD response
In a letter to families, Crowley ISD said Ortiz was arrested in connection with alleged criminal conduct involving a high school student and that district leaders took immediate action and cooperated with outside agencies; all required reports were made promptly, according to the Fort Worth Star‑Telegram. The district said Ortiz is no longer employed and that its review so far has turned up no evidence of additional students being involved.
What’s next
Prosecutors in Tarrant County will now decide whether to pursue formal indictments and schedule court hearings, since the Tarrant County District Attorney's office is responsible for felony cases in the area. Crowley ISD has said it will continue to work with investigators and will share information with the community as allowed under state law while the probe moves forward.
