The arrest of a martial arts teacher in The Woodlands for alleged child sex assault quickly leads to efforts to remove him from his job as a substitute teacher at Conroe Independent School District, highlighting how those accused of sex crimes often face public judgment and job loss before they ever enter a courtroom.
If you’re facing similar accusations, contact an experienced Houston criminal attorney to protect your rights and reputation.
A martial arts teacher in The Woodlands has been arrested for alleged sexual assault of a student.
According to Fox affiliate Fox26Houston, Stephen Zarruk, 32, was arrested by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office on January 17, 2025. A report by NBC affiliate Click2Houston indicated that the arrest followed an ongoing investigation into allegations of sexual abuse involving a juvenile student.
Zarruk was charged with indecency with a child-sexual assault and is in custody at the Montgomery County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
He is accused of sexually assaulting a juvenile student during individualized training sessions at The Woodlands Karate & MMA, a family-oriented martial arts studio. No details of the alleged assault have been released.
Zarrukis worked as a martial arts instructor at the martial arts facility and also has worked as a substitute teacher and contract physical education instructor at Conroe Independent School District.
Conroe ISD issued a statement saying that Zarruk “worked as a part-time substitute in Conroe ISD beginning in the fall of 2021. As with all potential employees, a background check was done and came back clear.
“Upon learning of this upsetting matter, steps were taken to begin the termination process. At this time, we have no indication anything inappropriate occurred on any Conroe ISD campus. We encourage anyone with information to contact the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.”
The sheriff’s office asks that anyone with information or concerns about their children’s interactions with Zarruk contact the sheriff’s office at (936) 760-5800 and reference case number 25A008737.
Sex crime charges are serious
Being charged with a sex crime is a serious matter, especially when the charge involves allegations of a sex crime against a child or minor. Texas laws can be extremely harsh for such crimes, providing punishments that include years in state prison and high fines of up to $10,000.
Even an incident in which there was no contact between the alleged perpetrator and victim can be a serious sex crime, as with a case involving possession of child pornography, which is a third-degree felony.
In Texas, such a charge can lead to extreme penalties upon conviction, including a prison sentence of 2 to 10 years per count. This means that a charge of 3 counts of possession of child pornography could bring a prison sentence of up to 30 years.
Even worse is the crime of online solicitation of a minor, a second-degree felony that can result in penalties upon conviction of 2 to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000 and being required to register as a sex offender for 10 years after being released from prison.
Ex-Woodlands Pastor Gets Prison for Possessing Child Abuse Material
A former pastor in The Woodlands is sentenced to 2 years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing child sex abuse material in a high-profile Texas case.
Not everyone is guilty of a sex crime charge
But not everyone who is accused or suspected of a sex crime is guilty of such an offense.
For example, a nationally notorious case of alleged sexual assault—which later proved to be a false claim—involved 3 Duke University lacrosse players who were arrested after a woman claimed that they raped her. The 2006 charges later were dropped, and the woman only recently admitted that she lied about the claim.
In addition, two-time Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey was found not guilty of 9 charges against him in a sexual assault trial in London in 2023.
You are entitled to due process, a legal defense
Under the United States Constitution, everyone is entitled to due process, a legal standard that means anyone accused of a crime is entitled to fair treatment in the judicial arena.
Everyone in America also should be considered innocent until proven guilty. And everyone is entitled to an attorney to defend their legal rights.
Get an experienced Woodlands defense attorney
If you or a family member in The Woodlands or elsewhere in the Houston area face a claim, accusation, allegation or charge of a sex crime or some other criminal offense, you need the best criminal defense lawyer you can find to protect your legal rights.
Neal Davis’s award-winning law firm can provide a Woodlands criminal defense attorney or a defense lawyer for Houston, Memorial, Sugar Land, and elsewhere in Montgomery County, Fort Bend County, or Harris County to handle your case.
