Former Copperas Cove band director pleads guilty to child sexual assault

Lawrence Varela-Halbert, the former Copperas Cove ISD director of bands, pleaded guilty Wednesday morning in the 52nd District Court of Coryell County to one count of sexual assault of a child, bringing the case back before the public after months of quiet and moving it into the sentencing phase.

Judge set punishment for Monday, July 27, at 10 a.m. and allowed time for a presentence investigation. Coryell County District Attorney Dusty Boyd told the court that the victim had asked for a 13-year cap on any prison sentence, even though Texas law allows up to 20 years for a second-degree felony sexual assault of a child charge.

The victim was in the courtroom with family, friends and supporters, underscoring how much the case has meant to the people closest to the allegations as well as to Copperas Cove families watching how the school district handled the fallout.

Varela-Halbert was taken into custody from the courtroom after the plea and his bond was revoked. The plea agreement left him facing one count after the state dropped two others that had been part of the original case. Police had arrested him on Dec. 19, 2024, on an indictment warrant, and the matter had first been reported to authorities weeks earlier.

Copperas Cove police said they were notified Nov. 7, 2024, about an allegation involving an improper relationship between a female student and an educator at S.C. Lee Junior High School. The offense reportedly occurred in 2021, when Varela-Halbert was band director there. He had held that role since 2015 before later becoming director of bands at Copperas Cove High School during the 2023-24 school year.

Copperas Cove ISD said it first learned of the allegation in late October 2024, immediately removed Varela-Halbert from campus and placed him on administrative leave. The district also said it notified law enforcement, cooperated with the investigation and had resources available for students. To fill the post, the board unanimously approved veteran band director Mario Morales as the next Director of Instrumental Music on May 6, 2025.

Under Texas law, sexual assault of a child is a second-degree felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Texas Education Code also requires districts to report certain educator misconduct to the State Board for Educator Certification when an educator is terminated and there is evidence of unlawful conduct with a student or minor, a safeguard that comes into focus when a trusted staff member is accused of harming a child.