Three North Texas firefighters were arrested on felony charges after authorities say they sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl while she was a member of a junior firefighter program.
The arrests follow a months-long investigation by the Texas Rangers into allegations dating back to 2022 at the Howe Volunteer Fire Department.
While the men served as volunteers in Howe, they also held professional roles in the fire departments of Irving, Allen, and Melissa.
David Perez-Glass and Dalton McCaslin each face three counts of sexual assault of a child. Joshua Ryals faces two counts of indecency with a child.
All charges are second-degree felonies, which carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Under Texas law, the age of consent is 17. Police say the victim was 16 at the time the alleged incidents began.
According to investigators, the alleged victim said the abuse began in January 2022.
She alleged Perez-Glass assaulted her more than two dozen times at the Howe fire station and a storage facility. The girl told police he used force to coerce her and threatened to kill her if she reported the encounters.
The victim alleged that Perez-Glass and other members maintained a timer on their phones to track the days until she turned 18.
Additionally, a former firefighter told investigators she had previously attempted to report Perez-Glass for inappropriate sexual advances but was reprimanded by department leadership for "jumping the chain of command."
Irving officials placed Perez-Glass on administrative leave from his full-time position, Allen placed McCaslin on administrative leave pending an internal inquiry, and Ryals resigned from his position in Melissa hours before his arrest on March 26.
Court records show Perez-Glass was named Howe's "Firefighter of the Year" during the period the alleged abuse occurred.
Perez-Glass, McCaslin, and Ryals have all since been released from the Grayson County Jail on bond.
Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela is KERA's breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Emmanuel at erivas@kera.org.
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