FREEPORT, Texas – A Sunday school teacher has been accused of sexually assaulting two teens he attended church with, according to Freeport police.
Juan Miguel Mendoza, 36, is charged with two counts of sexual assault of a child.
The Freeport Police Department began investigating in February after the parent of a 15-year-old girl reported the incident to authorities.
The first teen, who is now 17 years old, said she began a sexual relationship with the suspect when she was only 15 years old. She said the two of them continued their relationship until she met with investigators.
The girl met Mendoza when he was her Sunday school teacher at Iglesia Bautista Emanuel.
The girl said the first time she had sex with Mendoza, they were in a storage room at the church.
Cellphone records show that the suspect has been texting the victim since she was 13 years old.
"It started with friendly text messages regarding issues at the church, then that led into flirting, which led into sexual intercourse," Capt. Raymond Garivey, with the Freeport Police Department, said.
There are also text messages that support the victim's claims that she had been having sex with the suspect prior to being of legal age, police say.
The Brazoria County District Attorney's Office accepted charges for sexual assault of a child, and Mendoza was arrested on April 2 and booked into the Freeport City Jail. His bond was set at $100,000 bond.
Investigators continued their investigation into a second case of sexual assault regarding Mendoza and another teen. In that case, the victim, now 21, alleges that she and Mendoza had been having a sexual relationship since she was 16 years of age.
She, too, met the suspect when he was her Sunday school teacher at Iglesia Bautista Emanuel.
"It is our belief that this man used his position as a Sunday school teacher to prey on these young ladies," Garivey said.
Mendoza was arrested Wednesday on a second charge of sexual assault of a child related to the second victim. For the latest charge, Mendoza's bond was set at $65,000 bond.
Mendoza is currently in the Freeport City Jail, and is awaiting transport to the Brazoria County Sheriff's Department Jail.
Police believe there may be more victims who have been violated by Mendoza. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Freeport Police Department at 979-239-1211.