BRAZORIA COUNTY, Texas – A Houston elementary school teacher accused of soliciting a minor online was arrested Friday and booked into the Brazoria County Jail as he was also charged in Harris County for possession of child pornography.
Michael Bourquin, 54, has a bond of $175,000 for the solicitation charge, records show.
Bourquin is a teacher at Mangum Elementary School, a charter school through Southwest Public Schools, according to records. State records show he has been a certified art teacher at least since 2001.
An investigation by the Manvel Police Department started in January, police told KPRC 2. Someone made a report that the Bourquin was having multiple sexually explicit conversations with a 15-year-old boy, in which they discussed making plans to meet in person for sexual activity.
The communications began Oct. 12, 2023, records show, using social media applications Snapchat and Telegram. The two continued chatting through December. The conversations were sexually explicit and included discussions about plans to meet in person for sexual activity.
“It’s especially scary for parents because they don’t know what to do, you know, what are we going to do in this new age with all this technology?,” said Dr. Bob Sanborn, president and CEO of Children At Risk, recommending that parents learn the platforms their kids are using. “It’s not Facebook like their parents are on. It’s not regular texting like their parents are doing. So there are things that are a little bit different than what their parents are doing, so they have this idea that parents are not going to see me.”
The Pearland Police Department got involved in March to investigate further. Detectives went to Mangum Elementary School earlier this month to interview Bourquin.
“If you don’t know who that person is, you don’t know them directly, you can’t actually go to school with them or talk with them, then you shouldn’t be talking to them at all,” Officer Chad Rogers said.
According to court records, Bourquin was at first confused when asked if he knew the 15-year-old, but later said he did know him and had been chatting with him for about six months. Bourquin said he had met the 15-year-old on Snapchat.
Investigators said Bourquin was very guarded in his responses and was clearly not providing the detective with truthful responses, according to court records. When pressed, Bourquin allegedly admitted to sending the 15-year-old sexually explicit images and videos as well as planned to meet up with him for sexual activity.
Bourquin allegedly told detectives he never actually planned to meet up but that it was “just fantasy/teacher role playing as far as he was concerned.”
Detectives tried to get his phone during the interview, but records indicate he picked it up and held it tightly in his hand before they had to “forcibly remove” it from his hand.
After executing a search warrant, investigators found 105 images and one video of child pornography, according to court records.
Dr. Sanborn said parents should consider setting parameters in which they review message and app activity of their kids daily.
“When kids think that their parents are checking, they’re far less likely to do this stuff,” he said.
This is the latest of several recent incidents involving teachers being arrested in the Houston area. On Apr. 10, a teacher at CyFair High School was arrested and charged with having an inappropriate relationship with a student.
On Apr. 8, a cosmetology teacher at Klein Cain High School was also arrested and was charged with sex trafficking and compelling prostitution.
Southwest Public Schools provided the following statement after Bourquin’s arrest:
“While we cannot comment on personal matters related to charges filed against Mr. Bourquin, we can affirm that the allegations are unrelated to any Southwest Public Schools’ student. Mr. Bourquin is no longer employed with Southwest Public Schools. Please know the safety of our students is our top priority.”
The Texas Education Agency also responded:
“TEA received a report from the school system regarding the educator in question. The agency’s Educator Investigations Division is currently reviewing the report to determine next steps. Because the matter remains ongoing, TEA cannot comment further.”
Pearland police told KPRC 2 the investigation involving Bourquin isn’t over yet.
“These are people that we completely trust, that we want them to do their best. And so when this happens, it’s bad for the teaching profession,” Dr. Sanborn said.