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The Blotter: Ex-teacher in San Marcos gets 32 years for assaultFeb 27, 2013 (Austin American-Statesman - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- CALDWELL COUNTY Ex-teacher gets 32 years for assault A former San Marcos teacher convicted of continuous sexual assault of a child Monday was sentenced to 32 years in prison without the possibility of parole, officials said. Steven De Leon, 40, sexually abused an 11-year-old Travis Elementary School student from June 3, 2011, through Aug. 27, 2011, according to a news release the Caldwell County district attorney's office issued Tuesday. De Leon, of Martindale, worked at the San Marcos school as a physical education teacher, the release says. The San Marcos school district announced in May that he resigned from his position that month amid allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship with a middle school student. A district spokeswoman then said that he had worked in the district as an elementary school teacher for 16 years. Caldwell County District Attorney Trey Hicks said Tuesday that the abuse was discovered the summer between the student's fifth and sixth grade years. Authorities learned about the abuse from a recording of a sexually explicit telephone conversation between De Leon and the girl that the her mother found, the release says. -- Ciara O'Rourke, American-Statesman staff WIMBERLEY Foul play ruled out in store fire Investigators announced Tuesday that they had found no evidence of wrongdoing or criminal activity in the fire that destroyed the Ace Hardware building in Wimberley late Friday. Hays County Fire Marshal Mark Chambers said the building has been released to the owner. The cause of the fire will remain undetermined, officials said, due to the extensive damage to the building. -- American-Statesman staff ROUND ROCK Videos of jewelry store robbery released Round Rock police have released video of a jewelry store being robbed week. A woman entered the Q&T Jewelry, at 220 Sundance Parkway, on Feb. 18 and browsed until a clerk approached her and helped her, police said. The woman took items she had selected and placed a large plastic drinking cup on the counter, officials said. She began to flee and struggled with the employee, they said. During the struggle, the cup was knocked over and spilled on the floor, police said. The woman ran to the front door and tried to leave but it was locked, so she went back to the counter and lit the spilled contents of the cup on fire, police said. The woman then ran out the back door while employees were trying to put out the fire. She escaped with $9,000 worth of merchandise, police said. Police are asking anyone with information about the woman to contact them at 218-5500. -- American-Statesman staff ___ (c)2013 Austin American-Statesman, Texas Visit Austin American-Statesman, Texas at www.statesman.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |