East Texas Teacher Arrested for Indecency with a Child

WHITE OAK — White Oak Police have arrested a teacher for allegations of indecency with a child. According to KETK, officials began investigating Jacovia Cartwright last April when White Oak Police were contacted by the school in reference to allegations of inappropriate texting between Cartwright and a juvenile female student. A search warrant was obtained for forensic examination of phones and computers belonging to Cartwright.

Police said they recently received information from the forensic examination that several photographs of clothed and unclothed individuals were found on Cartwright’s phone. Officials were able to identify some of the juveniles in the photographs.

After several interviews, one of the individuals that was identified told of an incident between her and Cartwright that she said occurred on a White Oak school band trip in May 2010. She said she was sitting alone on the bus until Cartwright sat down next to her on the same seat. She said Cartwright placed his hand under her blanket and touched her “inappropriately”. It was confirmed that the school did take a trip in 2010 to San Marcos and Cartwright was on this trip. The White Oak Police met with the Gregg County District Attorney office and obtained an arrest warrant for Cartwright. He was arrested on Monday at the Westwood Palestine high school and booked into the Anderson County Jail. According to the Westwood ISD website, Cartwright is listed as a teacher in their school district. He previously worked as a band director at White Oak ISD.