A Richardson ISD teacher is facing a felony charge of online solicitation of a minor after Richardson police arrested him at his home Friday.
Michael Ralph Fouse, 41, a teacher at Berkner High School, was taken into custody without incident when detectives served an arrest warrant and a search warrant, the Richardson Police Department said in an Aug. 28 news release. He is charged with a third-degree felony. Under Texas law, that offense involves using the internet or electronic messages to seek sexual contact with a child or to obtain or share sexually explicit content with a child. A conviction can carry two to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, The Dallas Morning News reported.
Detectives opened the case Aug. 20 after a tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, police said. The investigation is ongoing. Detectives said they are working with Richardson ISD for more information. Anyone with information is asked to call Richardson police at 972-744-4893.
The district said it learned of the charges early Friday and immediately placed Fouse on administrative leave. “The district will continue to cooperate fully with the Richardson Police Department as it conducts its criminal investigation. RISD will take all appropriate and necessary action based on the findings of these investigations,” the district said in a statement quoted by NBC 5.
Texas Scorecard reported Fouse is in his sixth year at Berkner, that the district notified the Texas Education Agency as required, and that bond was set at $20,000. Police have not released the age of the alleged victim or said whether the person is connected to the school.
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