Former high school teacher gets probation after guilty plea of sexual assault of her student

BRAZORIA COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — On Wednesday morning, a former Brazoswood High School teacher pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting one of her 15-year-old students nearly two decades ago.

A judge sentenced her to probation after she was convicted of 12 criminal counts connected to her improper relationship with a minor.

Once a decorated teacher of the year, Brandyn Martin Hargrove is now a convicted sex offender, facing the consequences of her actions, police say.

“From the get-go, we really felt there was a good chance this would go to trial, so we were a little surprised with the plea agreement,” Clute PD Chief James Fitch said. “There was a lot of legwork by the detectives tracking down some of those people that went to school 17 years ago with our victim and people she made initial outcries to.”

Clute Chief of Police James Fitch says the victim walked into the police department in September of 2023 to report she had been sexually assaulted by her teacher for two years, nearly two decades before, when she was just 15 years old.

“In 2006, you did not have the charge of improper relationship with a student that we have today, so that’s why you got the charges of sex assault and indecency of a child,” Chief Fitch said.

Hargrove was charged and is now convicted of sexual assault and indecency of a child for her role. Ten second-degree felonies with punishments of 2 to 20 years in prison and two 3rd degree felonies…with punishments of 2-10 years.

Court records confirm she received 10 years of probation and a 10-year probated sentence, meaning she does not have to spend any time in a prison cell for preying on her student and having a sexual relationship with her as a minor.

“The DA’s office did include the victim,” Chief Fitchn said. “They talked to the victim before this plea agreement was accepted, and from what I understand, the victim spoke in court this morning.”

Hargrove’s attorney declined to comment.

The Brazoria County District Attorney’s Office has not returned ABC13’s repeated calls for comment and information.

“If it comes to that point years later and you want to come forward, don’t hesitate because it’s been so long. This is a perfect case where our victim had those hesitations 17 years ago, but now in law enforcement, we’re going to take it just as it happened yesterday and seek that justice for our victims,” Chief Fitch said.

Chief Fitch confirms Hargrove will be on the sex offenders registry for the rest of her life.

The school district fired Hargrove early last year in response to the charges against her.

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