Valley special ed. teacher sentenced for sexting minor

McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A 43-year-old, special education teacher has been sentenced for exploiting a minor he met online, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.

On March 29, Mission resident, Juan Carlos Munoz pleaded guilty on charges of coercion and enticement of a minor.

In November 2022, authorities in South Carolina spoke with a family who discovered their 14-year-old was speaking to a person, later identified as Munoz, who was soliciting nude photos and videos.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Munoz told the minor he was a 19-year-old boy.

During the investigation, authorities found numerous conversations, which were able to successfully trace Munoz's phone to the Rio Grande Valley.

Investigators discovered that Munoz was not the 19-year-old boy he claimed to be, but instead a 41-year-old special education high school teacher.

In Dec. 2022, Texas authorities tracked Munoz at his place of employment. Once caught, Munoz confessed to investigators that he was speaking to 50 minors and had requested sexually explicit photos and videos.

“Munoz is a predator who hid within the walls of a local school and behind fake personas,” said Almadar Hamdani, U.S. Attorney.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced Munoz to 14 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release.

“Mr. Munoz abused his position of public trust as a special education teacher to prey on those he was entrusted to protect,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Homeland Security Investigations.

He will also need to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Additionally, Munoz is ordered to register as a sex offender.

Munoz is pending his transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons.