Texas Pastor Ryan Gilbert is urging his church to pray for students and minimize “gossip” after a band teacher at the school affiliated with the church was arrested on suspicion of child grooming and indecency with a child. Stephen Strawn, 50, was taken into custody on Thursday (March 26).
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of child sex abuse, which some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.
The alleged crimes occurred at First Baptist Academy of Universal City, Texas, which is affiliated with First Baptist Church of Universal City. The congregation is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).
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The investigation into Strawn’s alleged actions began after Child Protective Services (CPS) alerted law enforcement. According to investigators, Strawn used his position of trust to groom a 12-year-old female student and later touched and photographed her inappropriately.
Police said that Strawn first began developing trust with the student in November 2025 by pulling her out of class to provide private french horn lessons. Investigators said that Strawn subsequently asked the student to model flag team uniforms for photos, even though she had never been part of the flag team and reportedly hadn’t ever expressed interest in the flag team.
According to police, Strawn purchased a uniform online that was “more revealing” than the school’s uniforms and had the student model it while he took photographs. The student also alleged that Strawn inappropriately touched her while using a measuring tape to size the uniform. The student said that Strawn asked her to remove her bra and made sexual comments toward her.
The situation was reported to CPS after a friend of the alleged victim observed Strawn’s interactions with the alleged victim and began taking audio recordings.
The alleged victim told investigators that she had heard of Strawn behaving in similar ways toward at least one other student.
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In a joint statement, First Baptist Church and First Baptist Academy said that leadership was “aware of the recent arrest of a faculty member following an investigation initiated by Child Protective Services in coordination with the Universal City Police Department” and that Strawn was “immediately placed on administrative leave. The individual is no longer serving on campus” after the school was notified of the accusation by law enforcement.
