HOUSTON – A misdemeanor charge has been upgraded to a felony for a former Houston Independent School District teacher after he was accused of abusing multiple students.
In February, 45-year-old Manuel Ponce, who taught at HISD’s Sutton Elementary School, was charged with five felonies and one misdemeanor, all related to sexual abuse of children. On Monday, that misdemeanor charge was upgraded, making it a total of six felonies Ponce now faces.
In February, there were a total of eight victims who said they were touched by Ponce during the 2021-2022 school year, authorities said.
Prosecutors said one of them reported being touched at least three to five times a month for the entire school year. Another child said she was touched at least twice - once on her birthday and another time in December during a pajama day at school.
Two teachers, who didn’t see any of the alleged abuse, were suspicious of Ponce because he had his students “in the hallway unattended while he’s in the classroom.” Other teachers didn’t see touching, but said they saw kids in the hallway alone, prosecutors said.
Ponce resigned from HISD in July 2022, according to the district.
He is set to reappear in court on July 13.
