Former O’Donnell ISD teacher, coach sentenced to 20 years for ‘grooming’ student
O’DONNELL, Texas (KCBD) - A former teacher and boys basketball coach with O’Donnell ISD has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after communicating inappropriately with a student.
Nicholas Dominique Bueno, 28, was arrested nearly one year ago after authorities learned of a relationship between Bueno and a 14-year-old girl. The inappropriate contact reportedly started on Sept. 23, 2022 and lasted until its discovery in October.
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On Oct. 18, 2022, the Lynn County Sheriff’s Office called in the FBI to help investigate the relationship, according to a federal complaint. The sheriff’s office had searched the teen’s phone, finding a “string of deleted sexually explicit messages between Doe and Bueno.” The two had exchanged thousands of messages, according to a release from the Department of Justice.
“On numerous occasions the messages were controlling, grooming, sexual and enticing in nature,” the DOJ release stated.
Some of the messages were noted in the federal complaint. On Oct. 11, Bueno messaged the following to the teen: “see it frustrates me when you don’t bother to text me even if you’re in here...”; “you’re so f*****g hot [emoji] I couldn’t stand up cause well you know,” and others similar in nature. These messages were followed by images of Bueno’s genitalia, both in black and white and in color.
The following day, Bueno messaged the teen “Imma be your first for a lot of things especially first real love [heart emoji].” He then texted, “tell me what color panties your [sic] wearing”; “I’m a perv like that I love knowing that s**t.” He then sent her a video of himself masturbating and asked her to “Delete it after.”
In addition, he reportedly tried to manipulate the girl by shaming and complimenting her. According to court documents, Bueno reportedly messaged her “I didn’t pursue you to be in the f****** friend zone.”
On Oct. 19, 2022, Bueno was questioned by investigators with DPS. He first tried to deny the allegations. However, as the interview progressed, Bueno admitted to using a pre-paid phone to interact with the teen.
He told authorities he had participated in the sexually explicit conversations, asked the girl to send him images and sent his own sexually explicit pictures and video. He also stated he had destroyed the pre-paid phone after learning of the investigation.
Following his confession, Bueno was arrested.
In June 2023, he was convicted on one count of enticement and attempted enticement of a minor in a bench trial. The following month, he pleaded guilty to three counts of transfer of obscene material to a minor.
On Thursday, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by 25 years of supervised release. He must also pay a $5,000 assessment to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, according to a release. .
“The Lynn County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Public Safety, and the Lubbock Police Department investigated the case with the full support and assistance of the O’Donnell Independent School District,” the DOJ release stated. “Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam and Matt McLeod prosecuted the case.”
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