News Summary
Multiple educators in Texas have been arrested on serious charges, including sexual exploitation and abuse of students. Incidents range from invasive recordings to possession of child pornography and sexual assault. The revelations have sparked urgent discussions on school safety and the need for stricter regulations for educational professionals. Investigations are ongoing as school districts reevaluate their safety measures to protect students from potential harm.
San Antonio, Texas – Multiple teachers within Texas face serious legal accusations, including inappropriate behavior that endangers the safety of students. Recent arrests have unveiled disturbing patterns of sexual exploitation and abuse among educational professionals, prompting calls for enhanced safety measures within schools.
Augustine Rodney Rendon, a 29-year-old teacher from San Antonio, has been arrested and charged with invasive visual recording, a state felony. The investigation began after a 7-year-old girl reported that Rendon had taken photos of her private areas while she was at his desk. The young victim described how he maneuvered his phone to take pictures directly underneath her skirt, and she recounted hearing shutter sounds from the device as the images were captured. Rendon was arrested following a report made to the San Antonio Police Department in March. A ChildSafe interview supported the girl’s claims, and authorities eventually executed a search warrant at Rendon’s home, discovering eight images on his phone, six of which depicted the victim inappropriately. The victim’s mother was able to identify her daughter’s clothing in these photographs.
In another case, Pietro Giustino, a teacher at Belton High School, was taken into custody on federal charges of possessing child pornography. The FBI’s San Antonio Field Office arrested Giustino following a federal indictment that was filed on July 8, 2025. He faces charges related to the possession of visual depictions of sexual activities involving minors after a grand jury indictment was returned on June 4, 2025. Giustino had been recognized for his service to the district in 2021 and has worked with the school for a decade. The Belton Independent School District is cooperating with the ongoing FBI investigation, planning to pursue the termination of Giustino’s employment and reaffirming their commitment to ensuring student safety.
Christopher Patrick Uresti, a former SWISD teacher, has also been arrested for grooming and sexually assaulting a 12-year-old student. His misconduct was revealed when the victim disclosed the sexual encounters to school officials. Uresti, who had resigned after inappropriate text communications with students were reported, continued to attend school events, which led to complaints from parents and a criminal trespass warning from the district. Investigations indicated that he sexually assaulted the girl multiple times between February and March 2025, with the first incident involving him picking her up at 2 a.m. and coercing her into sexual acts. Uresti has been charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, with a bond set at $300,000 as legal proceedings unfold.
In San Antonio, a teacher at Jubilee Academies, Caleb Nelson, aged 23, was arrested on charges of sexual assault and maintaining an improper relationship with a student. This arrest was a result of police investigations prompted by reports of the inappropriate relationship, adding to the existing concerns surrounding teacher conduct.
Alfredo Xavier Marmolejo, a teacher at Excelled Montessori Preschool, has been detained after being caught on video abusing three two-year-old children. Surveillance footage confirmed that Marmolejo engaged in violent behavior, including dragging, slamming, and slapping the young children. When confronted, he downplayed the severity of his actions, attributing them to emotional factors. He faces three counts of injury to a child and was subsequently taken to the Bexar County Jail.
The spate of arrests and accusations against these educators has ignited a significant discussion about the safety of children in schools and the importance of stringent monitoring and enforcement of professional conduct regulations among educational staff. As investigations continue, school districts across Texas are urged to reevaluate their policies regarding teacher conduct and student safety in light of these alarming incidents.
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Additional Resources
- KCEN TV: Belton High School Teacher Arrested
- Wikipedia: Child Sexual Abuse
- KENS5: Christopher Patrick Uresti Arrest
- Google Search: Texas Teacher Arrest
- ABC3340: Preschool Teacher Arrested
- Google Scholar: Teacher Misconduct
- WREG: Former Teacher Accused of Fondling Student
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Educational Professional Conduct
- KTSA: San Antonio Teacher Arrested
- Google News: Improper Relationship Teacher Student
Author: STAFF HERE SAN ANTONIO WRITER
The SAN ANTONIO STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERESanAntonio.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in San Antonio, Bexar County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Fiesta San Antonio, San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, and Dia de los Muertos. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, plus leading businesses in retail, insurance, and energy that power the local economy such as H-E-B, USAA, and Valero Energy. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAustinTX.com, HERECollegeStation.com, HEREDallas.com, and HEREHouston.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Texas's dynamic landscape.
