Texas Teacher Gets 40 Years in Prison for Sex Crimes

(Houston, Texas) Brandy Lynn Gonzalez, 30, was sentenced yesterday by state District Judge Michael McSpadden to 40 years in prison for each conviction of aggravated sexual assault of boys aged 11 to 13 and 20 years in prison for sexual indecency with a child. The sentences will be served concurrently.

The offenses included fondling inside the classroom, oral sex during outings with some of the boys at a mall and movie theater, and intercourse at her residence.

Prosecutor Denise Oncken, chief of the District Attorney's Child Abuse Division, noted that some of the children involved had learning disorders. One of them was sexually assaulted by the husband and wife after he sought help from the teacher because of physical abuse at home. He attempted suicide after the revelations of the sexual encounters, Oncken said.

"This defendant has broken my son into a million pieces," Oncken quoted from the mother's statement. The prosecutor said the teacher's comments, even after her conviction, fit the profile of a classic, unremorseful predator.

Husband Johnny Ray Gonzalez was sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting one of his wife's victims.


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Sexual Assault of 5th-Grade Boys
[Previous 12/15/06 post]
(Houston, Texas) A 27-year-old former teacher at Piney Point Elementary School, Brandy Lynn Gonzales, is in custody for engaging in sexual conduct with at least five 5th-grade boys, ages 11 to 13.

She allegedly performed oral sex on two boys at the local movie theater, performed oral sex on two boys in her classroom at school, and engaged in sexual intercourse with another boy at her home. Brandy Gonzales faces three counts of aggravated sexual assault and two counts of indecency with a child. Officials believe there are other victims which may result in additional charges.

Bail for Brandy Gonzales has been set at $320,000.

In a separate, related case, 31-year-old Johnny Gonzales, Brandy's husband, is also in jail on a sexual assault charge pertaining to one of his wife's students. His bail is set at $200,000 and he has a court date scheduled for January 12.

If convicted, Mr. and Mrs. Gonzales should be treated harshly in my estimation. The crimes described are not lapses in judgment, they reflect a pattern of predation.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 8/4/08]

(Houston, Texas) Narrowly avoiding a trial scheduled for today, teacher Brandy Lynn Gonzales, 28, and her husband, Johnny Ray Gonzales, 33, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting schoolchildren. They decided to let District Judge Michael McSpadden determine their punishment at sentencing.

Brandy Lynn admitted to four counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of indecency with a child stemming from luring five boys from her classes to engage in sex at movie theaters, her apartment and the classroom.

Johnny Ray admitted to one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child stemming from engaging in sex with one boy at the Gonzales apartment.

Sentencing is scheduled for October.