Teacher/youth minister accused of improper relationship with teen turns self in

BROWNSVILLE, Texas -- (KABB) -- A Brownsville teacher who was also a youth minister has turned himself into police for a pending warrant on a charge of improper relationship between an educator and a student.

Juan Pablo Gomez, 42, turned himself in on Monday, according to Brownsville police.

According to The Brownsville Herald, Brownsville Police Spokesman J.J. Treviño said Gomez is accused of having an improper relationship with a 17-year-old student while serving as a Youth Minister at St. Mary's Catholic School.

Under Texas law, 17-year-olds are considered adults. However, Texas law prohibits relationships between educators and students.

“It just so happened that is where they met,” Treviño said to The Brownsville Herald of St. Mary's. “The actual crime is that she's a student and he's an educator and regardless if it was consensual or not consensual, it cannot happen under Texas law. It's illegal.”

Gomez is a middle school social studies teacher. He was placed on administrative leave in April.