Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect the subsequent disposition of the criminal case described below. The charge against Garrett Cross was dismissed on August 6, 2026, after a Montgomery County grand jury returned a no-bill. The article has been updated accordingly.
A man authorities said once worked at Pine Valley Middle School was arrested on a charge of indecency with a child and was held in the Montgomery County Jail. Officials reported that Garrett Cross turned himself in on Friday. The criminal case was subsequently dismissed.
Arrest And Investigation
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said it secured an arrest warrant on Thursday after detectives followed up on allegations tied to Cross’s time at Pine Valley Middle School, with investigators saying the alleged conduct dated back more than five years. Cross was charged with indecency with a child, and authorities later learned he was employed by Humble ISD. District officials placed him on administrative leave while the investigation proceeded.
According to KPRC Click2Houston, Cross turned himself in on Friday and was jailed at the Montgomery County Jail. The sheriff’s Special Victims Unit coordinated the probe with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Public Integrity Division.
The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that a grand jury returned a no-bill against Cross, and the charge was dismissed on August 6, 2026. Cross’s attorney stated that the grand jury did not return an indictment due to a lack of probable cause.
Campus And Local Context
Pine Valley Middle School is part of New Caney ISD and lists its campus at 22784 Hwy. 59 S in Porter on the district website. The school serves middle school grades for the district and is one of several New Caney campuses that feed into the district’s high school program, according to Pine Valley Middle School.
What The Charge Means Under Texas Law
Under Texas Penal Code §21.11, indecency with a child covers sexual contact with a child under 17 or causing a child to expose their genitals with the intent to arouse. The law treats contact and exposure differently: contact can be charged as a second degree felony, while exposure is generally handled as a third degree felony. Both can carry prison time and additional penalties under state law, as outlined in the official Texas statutes.
