A routine Irving ISD bus ride has turned into a criminal case after a student reported being inappropriately touched on board, leading to the arrest of a longtime adult aide and a widening police investigation. Irving police say they are actively looking into whether any other students who rode district buses may also have been harmed.
Juan Gonzalez, 75, was arrested on April 9 and booked into the Dallas County Jail on a $25,000 bond. According to FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth, the investigation started on April 8, when the Irving Independent School District notified police that a juvenile had reported an incident that occurred on April 7 while being transported by the district. Gonzalez had been working as a substitute bus assistant on different routes since February 2023 and was fired the same day the report was made, the outlet reported.
Police Say There May Be More Victims
During a custodial interview with detectives, Gonzalez indicated there could be additional victims, investigators said. In a statement, the department urged parents to have direct conversations with their children about appropriate and inappropriate contact to help determine whether anything might have happened on district buses.
Authorities asked anyone with information to contact Detective Cloud at 972-721-3535 or by email at [email protected]. Anonymous tips can be sent to [email protected], according to FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth.
Child Grooming Under Texas Law
Texas created a stand-alone criminal offense for child grooming with the passage of SB 1527, which added Section 15.032 to the Penal Code. Under that law, grooming is a third-degree felony, and it can be bumped up to a second-degree felony in certain situations, including when the accused has prior qualifying sex-offense convictions. The full text of the enrolled bill is available from the Texas Legislature.
Background Checks and School Hiring Practices
State regulations require school districts and transportation contractors to run fingerprint-based criminal history checks on employees and contractors who have direct, ongoing contact with students. Districts are also required to consult the Do Not Hire registry before bringing anyone on board. Those safeguards apply to substitutes and bus monitors as well. The Texas Education Agency outlines fingerprinting rules and hiring compliance for both certified and noncertified school staff.
What Parents Should Do
Irving police are asking parents who have concerns to talk with their children and to report any mention of suspicious or inappropriate contact to law enforcement. The department is leading the investigation and is encouraging anyone with tips, information or video to come forward. General contact and reporting details for the agency are posted on the Irving Police Department website.
