Katy ISD says that teacher has been placed on paid administrative leave. Jason Lont is now in the Harris County Jail, his bond set at $60,000.
Jason Lont, 35, is charged with two counts of sexual assault of a child. The Katy High School theater website lists Lont as a director. Katy ISD says the theater teacher has been with the district since 2005.
According to court documents, Lont met a 15-year-old boy via a smart phone app that caters to gay, bi-sexual and bi-curious men.
"It's surprising, because the parents here are very cognizant of what is going on," said John Chaney, a parent of a Katy High School student.
Investigators say the boy's mother was cognizant. She discovered text messages on her son's phone that led her to believe he and Lont had engaged in a sexual relationship. She told detectives her son told her he met with Lont twice -- once in November and another time in December. The teen told detectives Lont picked him up near his house and drove him to Lont's home.
Neighbor Michael Cisneros said, "Makes your stomach just cringe."
Cisneros lives right next door and he says he is stunned to hear this allegation.
"Very unsettling, especially him being a teacher," Cisneros said. "Those are the people you hold trusting with your kids."
No one answered when we knocked on Lont's door on Tuesday. According to court records, he refused to answer questions from investigators, requesting his right to an attorney.
The following message was sent to parents of Katy High School students Tuesday afternoon:
- Dear Parents,
The purpose of the message is to make you aware of a situation involving one of our teachers, Jason Lont. The district learned today that Mr. Lont was charged with two counts of sexual assault of a child. The alleged victim was not a Katy ISD student, nor did the alleged illegal activities take place on a Katy ISD campus.
The district first became aware of the investigation into Mr. Lont's alleged activities on Jan. 12 by the Harris County Sheriff's Office. The district immediately placed Mr. Lont on administrative leave the same day. While I believe it is important to keep parents informed regarding situations such as this, please note that I was not in a position to share this information with you while the sheriff's department was conducting their investigation and Mr. Lont had not yet been charged with a crime.
Although Mr. Lont's alleged activities did not involve any of our students, I know that it can be quite disturbing to learn that one of our teachers was charged with a crime such as this. Please know that I, or members of my administrative staff, are available to address any concerns you may have regarding this situation. Also, if your child has any concerns or questions, our counselors are available to meet with them as needed.
Sincerely,
Dr. Steve Robertson,
Principal, Katy High School
