By ARABELLA SERRATA
Special to the PRESS
Leif Varnam, former employee of Point Isabel Independent School District [PIISD], was arrested on Thursday, Sept.19. He is facing three criminal charges.
The Point Isabel Independent School District [PIISD] released a public announcement on their Facebook page on the same day of the arrest. The district said they were “fully cooperating with the investigation agencies involved with securing Mr. Varnam’s arrest.”
According to Cameron County Jail records, Varnam was arrested for alleged possession of child pornography, indecency with a child and invasive video recording. The bond set for Varnam is a combined total of $145,000. The arrest was made by the Laguna Vista Police Department [LVPD]. Neither the district nor the police department could comment on the matter due to the ongoing nature of the case.
Varnam worked as a substitute teacher across multiple grade levels and schools within the district. He was immediately dismissed upon his arrest.
This year, the district has seen a similar incident. This past February, Omar Vera, former PIISD paraprofessional was arrested on multiple counts of alleged child grooming. This includes online solicitation for sexual acts and explicit communication with a minor during school hours. According to a past district press release, the initial arrest occurred on Feb. 27, 2024.
The PIISD employee handbook states “The district shall discharge any employee who has been convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication community supervision for an offense requiring the registration as a sex offender or convicted of a felony under Title Five Penal Code if the victim was a minor.”
All parties are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.