A former Cleveland ISD teacher was sentenced Thursday, May 22, to two 20-year prison terms after a Liberty County jury handed down the punishment in the 75th State District Courtroom, with visiting District Judge Kaycee Jones presiding.
Alexander Oveal Jr., 35, of Humble, received the concurrent sentences after being found guilty of Sexual Assault of a Child and Improper Relationship Between Educator and Student.
The sentencing followed several hours of deliberation by the jury, which heard detailed testimony from the victim and law enforcement.
Prosecutors said Oveal, who also was a youth pastor for a church in the Houston area, began grooming the student when she was in seventh grade, with the abuse escalating to a sexual relationship when she entered eighth grade and was just 14 years old. The victim took the stand during the trial and provided key testimony.
The case came to light in 2022, when Oveal’s wife discovered inappropriate messages from the student on his cell phone. A fellow educator, she took screenshots of the messages and reported them to Cleveland ISD, fulfilling her mandatory reporting obligation.
Cleveland ISD Police Officer Doug O’Quinn launched the investigation. According to District Attorney Jennifer Bergman, Oveal confessed to the abuse, providing both voluntary oral and written statements to police. The assaults reportedly occurred in a portable classroom on the high school campus.
“He was Teacher of the Year that year—literally,” Bergman said. “People loved him, but he is a predator.”
Despite the two 20-year sentences not being stacked—meaning they will run concurrently—Oveal will serve his time in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and must register as a sex offender for life upon release.
“I’m very pleased with the outcome,” Bergman said. “Once again, a Liberty County jury chose to protect children. They sent a message that this type of behavior is unacceptable in Liberty County. We protect our children here.”
Bergman said the sexual abuse has had a lasting impact on the victim’s life. Once a vibrant and engaged student, she was forced to leave school and give up the activities where she once thrived. She is now being homeschooled as she continues to heal.
The case was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Anna Emmons and Assistant District Attorney Kayla Hebert.
Bergman praised the investigative efforts of Cleveland ISD Police, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, and others involved in building the case.
“Alexander Oveal Jr. was a predator who exploited his roles as both a teacher and a youth pastor to victimize a child. He violated every duty he had to protect and uplift the students in his care,” she said. “He earned every single year of the sentence that the jury gave him. This community stands with the brave young woman who came forward, and we will continue to fight for justice for victims like her.”
he should go ahead and start going by alexandria and needs to decide what color kool-aid makes the best colored lipstick!!!!
Too bad his youngest sister name is already Alexandria lmaooooo!!
The fact that you know this family and are making these ridiculous remarks are disgusting! 🤮 I hope they find out who you are
Smh nothing about this is funny ….
Dam Bluebonnet!! No story about the man that broke into Walmart busted the incase and tried to steal rifles and ammunition? Not very good reporting there Bluebonnet.
I’m just concerned about the fact that this man has been an employee of Houston Metro through its subsidiary MV Transportation 205 in Houston as a high ranking HR employee and has been brought up in multiple complaints for sexual harassment and the company still employed him.
This is a sad and horrible situation for all families that are involved, and we must pray for the child to seek strength, comfort and faith in God.
God sees all and false accusations are also a sin.
Apparently he worked for a staffing company and not as a high ranking employee of 205 MV Transportation. Fact check first. Is your front porch clean?