By LYNETTE SOWELL-STEVENS
Cove Leader-Press
Lawrence Varela-Halbert, former Director of Bands for Copperas Cove ISD, entered a plea of guilty for one count of sexual assault of a child on Wednesday morning in the 52nd District Court of Coryell County.
The court set his sentencing date for Monday, July 27, at 10 a.m.
This will allow 60 days for a PSI – a presentence investigation – to take place. Also, this will allow for his victim, who appeared in court on Wednesday morning with family, friends, and supporters, to be able to attend as well.
Varela-Halbert likewise appeared in court on Wednesday.
As of December 2024, Varela-Halbert had been out of the Coryell County Jail on a $150,000 bond.
However, with the guilty plea, Varela-Halbert’s bond was revoked, and he was taken into custody from the courtroom.
According to Coryell County District Attorney Dusty Boyd, the victim has asked for a 13-year cap for any prison sentence.
Boyd told the court that although he wanted to ask the court for more, he also spoke to the victim’s “strength and courage.”
The second-degree felony charge can carry a sentence of up to 20 years.
Varela-Halbert was arrested on Dec. 19, 2024, on an indictment warrant by the Copperas Cove Police Department. His charges at that time were three counts of sexual assault of a child.
However, in the plea agreement, the state agreed to abandon charges two and three, Boyd said during the hearing.
Wednesday’s hearing marks the first significant update in the case since Varela-Halbert’s December 2024 arrest. The case activity was quiet last year due to Varela-Halbert letting one defense attorney go and hiring another.
The offense occurred in 2021 when the student attended S.C. Lee Junior High School, where Varela-Halbert had been band director since 2015. Varela-Halbert, a CCISD alum himself, started in the Director of Bands position at CCHS during 2023-2024 school year.
According to police, the CID’s investigation revealed a sexual relationship occurred between the student and the educator in 2021 at his residence in Copperas Cove.
Varela-Halbert had gone absent from his position around the 3rd week of October 2024, when unconfirmed reports of him being on administrative leave began to circulate. Parents further began questioning on social media about Varela-Halbert’s whereabouts in mid-November as well as any allegations at that time. The district declined to comment, citing personnel matters.
Back on November 7, 2024, Copperas Cove police had been notified of the allegation of an improper relationship between a female student and an educator.
Joe Burns, who was CCISD Superintendent through Dec. 31, 2024, finally stated upon Varela-Halbert’s arrest, that when the district initially became aware of the allegation in late October, the educator was immediately removed from campus and placed on administrative leave and the district notified law enforcement to ensure a thorough investigation.
Varela-Halbert’s resignation from CCISD took effect January 8, 2025, and was listed on the CCISD resignations for January 2025.
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