Substitute teacher arrested one year after mom reported him for sending explicit video to teen

By Alex Bozarjian and Courtney Carpenter

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    BAYTOWN, Texas (KTRK) — A former Goose Creek CISD substitute teacher has been charged more than a year after a Baytown mother reported him for allegedly preying on her teenage daughter and sending her an explicit video.

Joshua Hockless, 25, is charged with online solicitation of a minor. He was released from jail on a $40,000 bond.

“He was untouchable. That’s what he thought,” the victim’s mother told ABC13.

ABC13 is not identifying the victim or her mother for their protection.

Hockless allegedly met the victim while substitute teaching at Goose Creek CISD’s Edward Franklin “E.F.” Green Junior School. He allegedly followed the teenager on Instagram in September of 2022.

The teenage girl alerted her mother after Hockless allegedly sent a video of himself standing in front of a mirror completely naked. He also allegedly asked the victim for pictures in return.

According to charging documents, other teachers also complained about Hockless because some female students were skipping class to hang out in his classroom.

“The way he went about it. ‘I can treat you better than your parents. Let me take you shopping.’ Like, that is straight grooming. ‘I got money. I make good money. Do your parents have cameras? Can I come over?,'” the mother said.

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