La Joya schoolteacher accused of fondling first grader during class

LA JOYA — A schoolteacher faces criminal charges in connection with a 7-year-old girl's allegations that he fondled her during class.

La Joya school district police arrested Javier Salazar, 57, on Monday after a six-week investigation into the girl's claims.

The alleged abuse occurred Feb. 18 at Americo Paredes Elementary School in rural Palmview.

The girl told an investigator with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services that Salazar touched her privates with an open hand during class as students were taking a test. The school's events calendar indicates first-grade students took standardized progress monitoring tests that day.

Family and Protective Services launched an investigation into the girl's claims and notified school district police Feb. 20. Salazar resigned from the district Feb. 23, said La Joya school district police Chief Raul Gonzalez.

Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Salazar on Monday. Hidalgo County Justice of the Peace Ismael "Melo" Ochoa arraigned him later that day on one count of indecency with a child and gave him a $50,000 personal recognizance bond. He was released Monday evening from the Hidalgo County Jail.

If convicted, Salazar could spend two to 20 years in prison and face a $10,000 fine for the second-degree felony charge.

Meanwhile, he is currently under review by the State Board of Education's Professional Discipline Unit, according to the board's online official records of educator certification. It is not clear, however, whether the review is related to the criminal charge.

Salazar is at least the second La Joya school district employee accused this year of sexually abusing schoolchildren.

In February, former Clinton Elementary School computer lab proctor Armando Gutierrez was charged with 10 counts of indecency with a child following an investigation that lasted nearly nine months.

That probe was launched after several first-grade students told their parents Gutierrez had improperly touched them during class.

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Jared Taylor covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4439.