(TEXAS SCORECARD) – A Sheldon Independent School District teacher is one of 20 individuals arrested by authorities for alleged involvement in a gang-facilitated firearm and narcotics operation.
Federal law enforcement stated in late August on X that they caught the teacher on a court-authorized wiretap dealing drugs while in class.
ABC’s KTRK-TV 13 later identified the teacher as 34-year-old Jessica Ferguson, who instructs third-grade students at Garrett Elementary School in Harris County.
“She was on a call, taking part in that drug conspiracy while she was at school,” explained Alamdar Hamdani, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas. “And you can hear the children in the background.”
The teacher is an alleged associate of the Rich Kingz gang, which is affiliated with other criminal networks in the Houston area and has cartel connections. It was the target of a Federal Bureau of Investigation sting operation.
Several days after Ferguson’s arrest, a mother whose child attends Garrett Elementary School told KHOU 11 Houston that she was displeased with how the district handled the incident.
The mother claimed the district waited more than 24 hours after the incident to acknowledge it occurred and did not immediately fire the teacher, instead opting to place her on administrative leave.
“At no point did you stop to think, ‘Maybe not do this here?’ Or did you just not care at all about the situation?” the parent said of Ferguson, prefacing her outrage on whether the allegations were true.
A spokesperson for Sheldon ISD informed Newsweek on August 30, “Due to privacy laws, the District is limited in its ability to share all information concerning the allegations and the teacher.”
“The District expects all of its employees to comply with state and federal laws, and the District is cooperating fully with law enforcement as this investigation continues,” Sheldon ISD stated.
Texas Scorecard contacted Sheldon ISD for an update on whether Ferguson is still employed by the district but did not receive a response before publication.
Overall, authorities have arrested 19 other alleged members and associates of the Rich Kingz gang in their recent crackdown, according to a press release from Hamdani’s office.
Among them is an individual federal law enforcement theorizes to be the gang’s leader, 35-year-old Alfred Jacoby Green.
The charges ranged from conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, illegal possession of a firearm, and criminal possession of a machine gun.
If convicted, 15 individuals face the potential of life in prison.